Tuitupou has not played since leading Auckland to victory in the Air New Zealand Cup in October

Tuitupou will further bolster a back line that benefited from Rico Gear's debut in last Saturday's 50-0 victory.

The Warriors' Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock intends to use the European game to help Tuitupou settle in.

"It'll be a great boost for the club to finally get him on the field and join Rico Gear and Greg Rawlinson," he said.

Despite last week's emphatic home win Ruddock does not believe the result of the return leg is a foregone conclusion.

He told BBC Hereford and Worcester: "We have told the boys that they have got quite a few players coming back into their team - people like Tommy Hayes and one or two others that they rested last weekend.

Tuitupou in action for Auckland against Wellington in the New Zealand Cup Final

"We are expecting a much sterner challenge out there; for our lads the message is that we are getting ready for the next round of league matches, so it's an important game for us."

With Montauban surprisingly losing in Bucuresti in their last outing, the Warriors are clear favourites to progress to the knockout stages of the European Challenge Cup, and attention will soon turn towards a crucial run of Guinness Premiership matches.

We're still bottom of the league, so we can't afford to be complacent in anything that we do because we're just not good enough to survive that way. Mike Ruddock

With Gear, Rawlinson, Tuitupou and Netani Talei all now on board, and with matches coming up against clubs in and around them towards the foot of the division, everyone at Sixways knows that they are entering a crucial phase of their season.

Ruddock says the trip to Parma is important, as he is looking to the squad to maintain the momentum that the recent good cup results have given them.

"It's an important game for us; we can't afford to come off the gas pedal," added Ruddock.

606: DEBATE Will Mr Ruddock play Tuitupou at outside centre, with Gear on the wing, or will he play them both in the centre? Malvernian

"We're still bottom of the league, so we can't afford to be complacent in anything that we do because we're just not good enough to survive that way.

"We've got to keep trying to improve our game - that's our message, so I would be very disappointed if our boys were complacent."

There will be full commentary on the Warriors' match in GRAN Parma on BBC Hereford and Worcester's 738 AM frequency, and also online.