INJURY-HIT fly-half Jono Lance is set to spend his off-season recuperating in Australia after a “very difficult” campaign at Worcester Warriors.

The Aussie playmaker made his first appearance in more than a month when he came off the bench in Worcester’s defeat at Northampton Saints earlier this month.

But his hopes of featuring in Warriors’ end-of-season clash with Saracens were dashed when he suffered another injury setback.

Director of rugby Alan Solomons confirmed an oblique muscle in Lance’s abdomen had come “slightly away from the bone”.

The latest issue caps a campaign dogged by injury as Lance was ruled out for more than four months with a partial stress fracture to his back.

The 28-year-old who had a successful loan spell at Warriors in the 2017-18 season returned to Sixways last summer after agreeing a two-year deal.

But Lance played just nine games this season – one more than he managed during his three-month stint last term.

Solomons said the stand-off would now return to his native country during the six-week break before reporting back to training with the rest of the squad on July 1.

“His oblique muscle was still bothering him,” said Solomons on why Lance did not face Sarries last weekend.

“He has got a slight evulsion there so it has come slightly away from the bone. We thought it best not to play him.

“He has had a very difficult season.

“He had a stress fracture of the back and when he came back his obliques were giving him trouble.

“He is going away to Australia where he can have a good break.”

Lance was not the only Warriors fly-half to have a season blighted by injuries as Jamie Shillcock spent much of the campaign in the treatment room.

The versatile back underwent knee surgery in September before coming back, making eight appearances and then damaging his ankle in the European Challenge Cup loss at Pau in December.

A quadricep injury picked up when kicking in training in early April prolonged the 21-year-old’s spell on the sidelines.

With Lance ruled out against Sarries Shillcock was named on the bench for the season finale but failed to get on as Duncan Weir kicked Warriors to a last-gasp triumph.

“It was tough on Shilly (not to get on),” Solomons added.

“Penns (Chris Pennell) was playing well at 15 and Duncan was vital at 10. Maybe Shilly can play in other positions in the backline but there wasn’t an opportunity for him.”