WORCESTER Warriors-bound wing Bryce Heem will play the entirety of Auckland’s ITM Cup campaign.

Should Auckland progress to the knockout stages of the competition, the Kiwi flyer will miss the start of Warriors’ Aviva Premiership sea - son.

Last week, a Sixways spokesman said he could not confirm whether Heem would be available for Warriors’ opening match of the 2015-16 campaign.

But Auckland spokesman Libby Gudmundsson yesterday revealed the player might not be arriving in England until late October.

“Bryce has been selected in our ITM Cup team and will play the entirety of the sea - son,” she confirmed.

“All being well, that will be through to the late October.”

Auckland’s regular season finishes on October 10, with the ITM Cup semi-finals scheduled for October 16 and 17. The finals are planned for October 23 and 24.

Warriors will open their new Aviva Premiership season against Northampton Saints at Sixways on October 16.

And Dean Ryan’s men travel to Sale Sharks in their second Premiership fixture eight days later.

Warriors’ players have returned for pre-season training and will be involved in two warm-up matches.

Worcester will host Midlands rivals Wasps on Sep tember 26 and travel to play reigning Premiership champions Saracens on October 3 at a venue to be confirmed.

Heem, who is believed to have signed a two-year deal with Warriors, has had an impressive debut season in New Zealand’s Super Rugby cam - paign with Chiefs.

He admitted it was a tough decision to agree to move to Worcester but he had always wanted to play rugby overseas.

“I’m 26 now and I probably would only want to stay in New Zealand for one more year anyway and then go,” he said.

“I get homesick quite a bit too so I’m looking at going away, getting it done and then coming back and settling down.”

Heem was a fixture in the New Zealand Sevens team for the last three years before get - ting a Super Rugby contract with the Chiefs.

His move to Worcester means he won’t be able to rep - resent his country at the Rio Olympics next year.

“It’s a two-year deal so I miss out on the Olympics,”

he said. “When I made the decision I knew there was always going to be a little bit of regret no matter which way I went and it was just something I was just going to have to deal with.”

Meanwhile, all tickets have now been snapped up for the visit of the Rugby World Cup trophy on Saturday.

The Webb Ellis Trophy stops at Sixways as part of a national tour and the fun day will include photograph opportunities, an inflatable obstacle course, music and refreshments.