A “BOUNCING” Bryce Heem is poised to face Wasps on Sunday as Worcester Warriors aim to leap into the final four of the Premiership Cup (3pm).

The “extra cheerful” wing has returned to the club following a prolonged break in New Zealand and is set to be among a number of stars to run out at Sixways.

Scrum-half Francois Hougaard, centre Francois Venter and prop Nick Schonert are also expected to play for Worcester who need to claim maximum points and win by more than two points to secure a home semi-final that will be staged next weekend.

“They have got to get game-time now,” said director of rugby Alan Solomons.

“Francois Hougaard, Francois Venter, Bryce and Nick have not played for a while so they need to play rugby.”

The quartet who have been regulars in the starting line-up this season have not starred since Warriors’ Gallagher Premiership victory over Bath at the start of this month.

Many fringe players were given a chance to impress against Ospreys and Stade Francais in the European Challenge Cup before the squad was allowed an eight-day break as there was no game last weekend.

“We gave everybody in the rugby department time off apart from those players who were rehabbing,” Solomons said.

“It was good as the season has been going hammer and tongs since September 1.

“Everyone has come back refreshed.

“After that block of six (Premiership games) guys that had been playing regularly were given a 10-day break.

“If guys had played four or five games back-to-back they were given a shorter break of three or four days.

“But everyone is different.

“A lot of them did go away (on holiday) last week.

“I gave Bryce an extra week as he had to go back to New Zealand.

“By the time you come back from there, you experience jet lag so it takes a couple of days to get yourself sorted.

“But Bryce is back and in good fettle.

“He is always a cheerful guy but he is extra cheerful. He is bouncing because he has had a great break, seen his family and had some sun.”

Solomons confirmed Schonert had returned to full fitness after recovering from an issue with his sternum.

“Nick is absolutely fine,” Solomons said.

“We took the precaution of resting him and he is 100 per cent right now.”

Captain Gerrit-Jan van Velze is also back in training after overcoming a hip problem and is in contention to tackle Wasps.