PAWLICKI BLOW FOR BRUMMIES

BIRMINGHAM No.1 Piotr Pawlicki will miss the club’s opening fixtures of the season due to a leg muscle injury.

The Pole has felt the effects on the back of some intense winter training and has already sought advice on how to get fit at the earliest opportunity.

It leaves the Brummies looking for options ahead of their Premiership return, which gets underway next Thursday.

Club CEO Nigel Tolley said: “Obviously the news is disappointing but they’re only minor injuries.

“He’s had some examinations, his recovery and treatment time is expected to be short and if all goes to plan then he should only miss up to the first three fixtures of the season.

“It’s something we’ll need to assess day-by-day but in the meantime we’ll explore the options available to us as we look ahead to our first meeting at Oxford on March 14.”