DIRECTOR of rugby Alan Solomons said it would have been “very difficult” to slot Ben Te’o into his Worcester Warriors side at late notice.

Centre Te’o started for England in the victory over South Africa and defeat to New Zealand but was not named in the matchday squad to take on Japan last Saturday.

Uncapped Warriors prop Nick Schonert also missed out after training with the national team along with Te’o and Ted Hill – who went on to make his debut – earlier in the week.

But while Schonert donned Warriors colours in their 28-13 loss at Bath at the weekend Te’o played no part in the Gallagher Premiership clash.

Te’o, 31, missed the start of the season due to injury and has only made one outing for Worcester this term when he came off the bench in their win over Ospreys in the European Challenge Cup last month.

“With the Ben Te’o situation we are sitting with Francois (Venter) and Ryan (Mills),” Solomons said.

“Ben has come off the back of two massive Tests.

“He has played 30 minutes for us this season and has probably been at about three practices so to slot him in later on in the week is going to be very difficult.

“At this stage, Francois and Ryan are a good centre pairing and they have played regularly.

“Ben hasn’t had an opportunity to play with the team at all.”

Solomons added: “It makes no difference (to the result).

“The problem didn’t lie with our three quarters. The problem lay up front. That’s where it all begun.

“You have got to have a problem – and that comes from your set piece.

“Without that platform it is a problem “We must have had three line-outs three metres from our line which we lost.”