Nick Nurse is facing a lengthy lay-off as coach of Genesis Brighton Bears.

Nurse needs surgery to remove a cyst from his right vocal chord and is likely to be out of action for a month or more.

He will not be able to speak for two or three weeks after the operation, which takes place while his team travel to Newcastle Eagles on Friday.

The Bears coach has been troubled by the cyst since late last season.

He said: "No one knows what causes it but obviously shouting at games doesn't help."

Nurse has full confidence in his stand-in Phil Waghorn and has asked senior players to take more responsibility.

He said: "Our players need to show a bit more leadership whether I'm there or not and this could be the catalyst for that."

Nurse will have to undergo a course of speech therapy as he recovers from the operation.

Meanwhile, Worthing Thunder have been told to avoid any mishaps on the road today.

Barker (Tarring) Thunder are unbeaten in EBL division one ahead of today's game at winless Teesside (6.30pm) but assistant coach Alan Sweetman-Hicks warned: "The seven-hour bus trip is a real leveller. We'll have to keep their athletic players off the boards."