JOHN Brain has dismissed suggestions that he's turned down Andrew Mehrtens.

Speculation had linked the New Zealand fly-half with a move to half a dozen clubs and, in some quarters, reports had suggested that Worcester had refused the international ace.

Brain -- Warriors' director of rugby -- is bemused by the reports, however.

"I haven't spoken to any agent about Andrew Mehrtens so I think it would be a little wide of the mark to suggest I've turned him down!" he said. "At the moment, it's the silly season with speculation but I can confirm that we've received no approach from anybody representing Mehrtens.

"We don't like to fuel rumours and we do our business quietly. It's the way I like to work.

"At present, what we are focusing on is our season and our players. We're not too worried about other clubs' players."

Worcester's Premiership status is far from secure this season but Brain believes that the club are a much more attractive proposition for the world's top talent following their promotion.

"It's certainly not a hard sell anymore," added Brain.

"I think people know that Worcester is a very ambitious club. Certainly, it's getting a lot easier to attract players to Worcester now. We're only half-way through the season and we've got a lot of hard work ahead of us to maintain our Premiership status.

"However, people understand that we want to be one of the top clubs in English rugby. At the moment, we're considering our options but we're very focused on what's in front of us. Our next game against Gloucester is the most important thing for us."

Meanwhile, Worcester will play at Sixways in the first leg of their European Shield semi-final tie with Leeds Tykes in April.

Dates are yet to be finalised but the home leg will be played on the weekend beginning April 1. The second leg, at Headingley, will take place three weeks later.