YORK City Knights boss Mick Cook is facing major new problems in the outside backs after Rob Spicer broke a bone in his right hand.

The in-form centre will be ruled out for anything between six weeks and three months after suffering the injury against Leigh Centurions last week.

The Knights will also be without cup-tied wingers Austin Buchanan and Peter Fox - as well as exciting hooker Jamaine Wray - for this Sunday's Powergen Challenge Cup fifth round tie against in-form Super League outfit Huddersfield Giants.

Cook is unlikely to have team captain Dan Potter, a natural replacement for Spicer, back this weekend as he recovers from his shattered thumb, while three-quarter Craig Farrell remains a doubt with the hamstring strain that has kept him out for a month.

Trialist Dean Ripley, who could have filled in at centre, has also now left Huntington Stadium after failing to agree terms.

Cook still has the Lee Lingard and Neil Law partnership on one flank and he could switch back-rower Mark Blanchard to the centre.

But he may otherwise be reliant on unproven young wingers Paul Clarke and Tom Dunmore to face the Giants' Super League fliers, or he may even recall centre Chris Spurr, whose injury nightmare may finally be over but who has only had about 160 minutes of rugby since December 2004.

Cook said losing Spicer was a major blow. "It's thought it was a clean break and not bad enough to need an operation to realign it, which is good, but they will know more when he has the pot removed next week," he said.

"It's a big loss for the team. He's been very consistent all year - you know what you're going to get from Spice. He carries the ball strongly, he's pretty tough, aggressive in defence and his work-rate is high.

"Dan Potter is probably not ready this week. He trained on Tuesday but it was not an over-physical session and I still think he might be struggling a bit with the mobility in his thumb.

"It's no use throwing him back in to get a recurrence of the injury. He needs to go in and be right to himself and the team."

He added: "We are looking for outside backs and we might have to look to the youngsters.

"Chris Spurr is a possibility but it would be a big ask to throw him in against the likes of Michael De Vere after just three games of football in about 17 months."

Updated: 10:30 Friday, May 19, 2006