USA international front-row forward Joe Taufete'e is set to make his Worcester Warriors debut in their European Challenge Cup clash at Brive on Saturday (8pm).

Taufete'e joined Warriors in the middle of December and is poised to feature in Warriors’ penultimate Pool Three showdown against the French club.

But Samoan forward Chris Vui is sidelined with a groin injury and won’t be making his Warriors bow.

“I am looking to give Joe a run this weekend,” explained Warriors head coach Carl Hogg.

“He’s a really powerful athlete and I am excited about integrating him into the side at Brive.”

Taufete’e, 24, can play at prop or hooker and is a former American footballer who made the switch to rugby in 2011.

He used to play alongside Warriors centre Jackson Willison at Otorohanga and made his international debut for USA against South Africa at the 2015 World Cup.

Taufete'e captained the USA Rugby Selects at the Americas Pacific Challenge developmental tournament in Uruguay last year.

Hogg added: “Joe is a big, physical athlete who likes to carry and gets gain-line. I am looking forward to seeing what he looks like in our shape and he has definitely got physical power.”

Vui, who can play in the second row or back row, also joined Warriors in December but has been recovering from surgery.

Vui captained New Zealand side North Harbour to the Mitre 10 Championship title last October before earning his first cap for Samoa against France.

He previously represented New Zealand Under 20s and featured in the 2015 Super Rugby campaign for Auckland Blues.

Hogg explained: "Chris has got a groin injury which he picked up during the Samoan Tests in the autumn internationals.

"He’s had a small repair but I am hoping we will get him back in the next two or three weeks".

Wing Bryce Heem, who was also born in New Zealand but has aspirations to play for Samoa, is also recovering from injury.

Heem broke a knuckle in Warriors’ home Aviva Premiership clash with Wasps in December and had wire inserted to stabilise the injury.

The wire has been removed and Hogg expects the wing to resume full training in “two or three weeks”.

Influential scrum-half Francois Hougaard is “itching to get back” after recovering from shoulder surgery and could feature later this month for Warriors in the Anglo-Welsh Cup.

However, fly-half Tom Heathcote is still unavailable after suffering concussion in Warriors’ Anglo-Welsh Cup thrashing at Wasps in November.

He had previously been knocked out by Brive lock Johan Snyman, who was handed a five-match suspension for the dangerous challenge.

“Tommy has had two back to back concussions and been out for a number of weeks,” said Hogg.

“We are guided by a neurologist, and quite rightly so, because we have to make sure the care and welfare of the players are paramount.”