WORCESTER Warriors centre Andy Symons has travelled to the USA to continue his recovery from a serious knee injury.

The 24-year-old suffered cruciate ligament damage in the lead-up to Warriors’ Championship play-off semi-final second leg against London Scottish in May.

Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan said Symons was in Denver when Worcester opened their season with a 43-35 warm-up defeat against Barbarians on Saturday.

“Andy had a serious cruciate ligament injury and won’t be around until Christmas,” said Ryan.

“He’s in Denver at a cutting-edge rehabilitation centre trying to accelerate that time line. We would hope to see him back around November or December depending on how the recovery goes.”

The former Leicester Tigers academy graduate, who joined Warriors in 2013, made 22 appearances last season, scoring 125 points.

A rumoured transfer target for Warriors, South African centre Wynand Olivier played for Barbarians against Worcester.

Ryan refused to confirm whether he was interested in Montpellier’s Olivier, 32, but hinted there may be a couple of additions before the start of the Premiership season.

“I am interested in the right people,” said Ryan. “If they are available at the right time, then I am interested.

“But I look at hundreds of people and, just because it jumps off a website forum, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.”

Ryan said the most important thing about Warriors’ match against Barbarians had been to get the club’s summer signings on the field.

“We had two weeks away in camp and knew it would be a serious test,” said Ryan. “The key idea was to get everyone new to the club out on to the pitch.

“Everyone now is a part of Worcester, which was the box we wanted to tick.

“The players also had an opportunity to see what the best in the world looked like close up rather just seeing them on television.”