SCRUM-half Jean-Baptise Bruzulier will return from his French adventure at the end of next month pushing for a place in Worcester Warriors’ starting line-up.

Bruzulier’s surprise move to Clermont Auvergne raised a few eyebrows among Sixways supporters.

Warriors director of rugby Dean Ryan has stressed Bruzulier has a future at Worcester and believes the player’s short stint with the French Top 14 club was an “outstanding piece of negotiation”.

Bruzulier, who can speak French and English, shone in Warriors’ Championship play-off final victory over Bristol in May after Charlie Mulchrone and Jonny Arr were ruled out.

Warriors have four senior scrum- halves on their books after Luke Baldwin’s summer arrival.

The former Bristol man started in Worcester’s 43-35 warm-up defeat against Barbarians on Saturday.

Ryan said: “It’s a great opportunity for a lad to play at Clermont Auvergne. I have got four scrum-halves and only three pre-season games and Bruzulier will have six matches under his belt by the end of October.

“It’s an outstanding piece of negotiation by all of us. Bruzulier will enjoy playing for Clermont and it’s a great accolade for him.

“I think he will play there, get a six-game CV and come back to say he wants to be first-choice here and I will then have had a look at Luke, Charlie and Jonny.

“There isn’t anything else to be read into this. He’s coming back at the end of October and that’s perfect timing to compete for a place here.”

Bruzulier, who played for Wales at age group and sevens level, also finished Premiership Seven Series runners-up in 2011 with Saracens.

He joined French ProD2 club Le Pays d’Aix and trained with Top 14 giants Toulon before arriving at Worcester last summer.

Bruzulier skippered Worcester Cavaliers last season to runners-up spot in the Aviva A-League and also captained the club to their maiden British and Irish Cup final triumph.

Ryan said: “We know Neil McIlrory at Clermont and they needed World Cup cover at scrum-half. I have to play Luke because I haven’t seen him play for us.

"This arrangement is nothing other than JB having games at Clermont, which is a significant enhancement of his experience.”

Warriors open their Aviva Premiership campaign against Northampton Saints on Friday, October 16.

Ex-Warriors fly-half Andy Goode has retired from professional rugby after failing to recover from surgeries on injuries sustained prior to joining London Irish.

He played 83 times for Worcester from 2010 until 2013, scoring 823 points.