WING Bryce Heem has given Worcester Warriors the perfect boost ahead of today’s derby with Gloucester (3pm) by laughing off suggestions he could be leaving.

Despite being under contract there were fears from fans Heem might be looking to engineer a move away in the summer with Northampton Saints rumoured to be interested.

However Heem admitted the speculation took him by surprise when he returned to Sixways after a short break in New Zealand.

The 29-year-old, who joined Warriors from Waikato Chiefs in 2015, insisted he had not been in contact with any clubs and was “very happy” at Worcester.

“I think the rumours surprised me more than anyone else,” Heem said.

“I had just come back from New Zealand and I was talking to someone at the club and they were asking me when I was off.

“I said ‘I have only just got back.’ ‘They then said ‘When are you leaving’?

“I said ‘I have already left and come back’ but they were actually talking about Saints. That was news to me.

“No one has spoken to me. I am on contract next year as well so it is all purely rumours, no ‘true-mours’. I am very happy here.”

After a tough start to the season which saw Heem hampered by dead legs Warriors boss Alan Solomons allowed the Kiwi flyer to jet off to the other side of the world to see his family.

And Heem admitted the “sun therapy” had helped to recharge his batteries as he looks to make an impact for Worcester.

“I had not had a break in a little while,” said Heem who has scored three tries in 12 games this season.

“Me and my wife are quite isolated here and we don’t have too much family over here so it is always nice for me to get home and see my young nephews and nieces as well.

“It is summer at home as well so being able to get a bit of sun therapy always helps.

“New Zealand is a great place to go. You can do fishing and diving there around summer time so you can refresh, recover and get that hunger back to return to the field and do your job.”

Heem marked his return to action by helping Warriors pull off one of the shocks of the season as they beat champions Exeter Chiefs 6-5 at Sandy Park.

The ex-New Zealand Sevens ace said the surprise win had lifted morale around the club but was now keen to back it up with a win over rivals Gloucester.

“Gloucester a similar machine to Exeter,” Heem added.

“They are maybe not as structured and look to play from anywhere on the paddock as well so it is a big challenge for us. Hopefully we can back it up.

“I was actually looking at the table the other night and it’s actually quite close within that mid-table.

“We are 12 points off sixth place so things can turnaround pretty quickly.”