Simon Fifield has revealed why he has an urgent need to get on the plane back home to New Zealand next month as a champion.

The Haywards Heath skipper and his team stand three wins from taking the London Two South crown just a season after being relegated.

They beat long-time leaders Jersey 14-6 in their last match but face a very tough run-in against the teams currently third, fifth and sixth.

If Heath can get six points from that lot they will richly deserve the title - and Fifield will have a week in which to enjoy it before going back to Auckland.

The 30-year-old carpenter has been in England on a two-year working visa and that runs out nine days after the final league game.

He reckons he could fit in the promotion play-off, to which Heath will be consigned if they finish second, but it would be tight.

Far better to get things cleared up with time to spare.

The Heath scrum half, who took over the captaincy from Dave Wattam last summer, said: "We've played Jersey but we've now probably got the other three best teams in the division.

"They will be pretty strong but I don't think it was ever a case of thinking it was job done if we beat Jersey.

"We know we still need to win three games and we will take nothing for granted."

Jersey's knack of grabbing narrow wins has kept them in the title hunt but it also means their points difference has suffered.

For that reason, two wins and a draw might be enough for Heath to claim the crown.

They would love to do it in style, though, and extend their winning run to 18 games having lost two of their first four.

Fifield said: "The season started off a bit rough because it was a brand new team but we have had lots of youngsters coming through and that has been encouraging.

"The way they have gelled with the older players has been fantastic.

"I was here last season but this is my first year captaining a team, other than doing the odd game here and there."

Fifield hails from the South Island and admits playing rugby was not uppermost in his mind when he came to England with his girlfriend Sheree.

Having played to a very decent standard back home, and earning selection for New Zealand under-16s, he decided he could not stop playing and registered on a website which helps fix players and clubs up together.

It took less than half an hour for Nigel Baker, Heath's director of rugby, to get on the phone and invite him down to Whitemans Green.

Fifield said: "I'm living in Battersea so the travelling is not too bad and the atmosphere at Heath is great.

"I've loved my time in England and especially going down to Heath for the rugby.

"I even enjoyed last year when we were relegated. They are really nice people down there and I enjoy getting out of the city at the weekend."

Fifield will have to make the most of his next few weeks.

With no prospect of securing a new visa, he will be resuming his rugby in New Zealand come April.

He said: "That's me done here. I would love to stay around and play in London One again but there's no chance of that.

"We leave on the Monday. If the play-off is that weekend I could play in it. I hope it doesn't get to that stage, though.

"We are a lot better than other teams in this league and if we get it right on the day we will be okay."