WORCESTER Warriors face injury concerns over number eight Gerrit-Jan van Velze and lock Michael Fatialofa.

The duo were forced off in Warriors’ dramatic 36-31 home triumph over Stade Francais in the European Challenge Cup at the weekend.

Captain Van Velze looked in discomfort when he left the field with a hip complaint midway through the opening period and was replaced by Matt Cox.

Fatialofa then suffered a blow to his shoulder and did not return for the second half as he made way for Darren Barry.

Head coach Rory Duncan said he was “hopeful” van Velze and Fatialofa had not picked up “serious” injuries.

“GJ took a bit of a bang on his hip so medics will have a look at him,” said Duncan immediately after the comeback win.

“Fatialofa took a bang on his shoulder. We don’t know how serious it is.

“Obviously he carried on after the blow but we didn’t want to risk him going forward.

“We had capable cover in Darren Barry on the bench so we thought it would be wise to take him off and not risk any further injury.

“I am certainly hopeful that none of those guys’ injuries are serious.”

The start of Fatialofa’s Warriors career has already been hit by injury and illness since his arrival from New Zealand in early November.

The 26-year-old spent his first month at the club rehabbing a knee issue that he aggregated while guiding Auckland to the Mitre10 Cup.

After making his debut in last month’s win over Pau and then his Premiership bow in the defeat to Northampton Saints Fatialofa came down with hand, foot and mouth disease.

Fatialofa got off his sickbed to help Warriors beat Bath but lasted just 40 minutes against Stade Francais.

Van Velze did not come through the first half of the campaign unscathed either having injured his shoulder in the loss at Gloucester in early December.