WORCESTER Warriors hooker Joe Taufete’e has been ruled out of Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership derby against Gloucester at Kingsholm (3pm).

Taufete’e was concussed playing for USA Eagles in their defeat by Ireland in Dublin in their final autumn international on Saturday and will have to go through the return-to-play protocol before he is cleared to play for Warriors.

“Joe was concussed in the game against Ireland and he won’t be involved at all this week,” said Warriors director of rugby Alan Solomons.

“I chatted to Joe. He’s looking well I’m pleased to say and I would imagine that next weekend he should be OK and fit to play in the Pau match.”

Before leaving the field in Dublin, Taufete’e scored his 14th international try and now needs only one more to equal former Ireland hooker Keith Wood’s record for most by a front-row forward.

“International rugby is international rugby. The USA have done well and they have a good side. Even though it wasn’t Ireland’s number one team they are pretty much the number one side in world rugby at the moment,” Solomons said.

“It was good for Joe and the USA have acquitted themselves well.”

Warriors expect to welcome back wing Josh Adams from international duty with Wales as they attempt to build on last week’s 20-13 league home win over Harlequins.

“If one is honest in the Bath game we weren’t really at the races and we were determined that we would be in the right frame of mind on Friday night which we were, which was really positive,” Solomons said.

“Rory Duncan and the forwards worked hard on the lineouts and I thought they operated really well.

“Omar Mouneimne, our defence coach, is a world-class coach and he is doing a great job. As he says, and correctly so, the players also deserve a huge amount of credit.

“They put in a huge defensive shift and that made the difference. To me, apart from the intercept, Harlequins never looked like scoring a try.

“To play at this level you have to be at the races and in the right frame of mind. If you are a little bit off then you pay for it.

“But as I keep saying the season is a marathon not a sprint. Apart from the top two teams, Saracens and Exeter, the teams are very close together.

“There is not a great deal that separates the rest of the pack, it’s a tough competition.

“Gloucester are a very, very good side and their home ground Kingsholm means a lot to them so we will have a tough game. But then again every weekend is tough. It doesn’t matter who you play or where you play.

“The level of the competition is such that it doesn’t matter whether you are playing home or away. You have got to be able to cope with it at this level.”