Blues’ outside back and former All Blacks 7s player has retired from playing professional rugby and moved into a new career as a mortgage broker.
The 36-year-old centre has been unavailable for the Blues this year because of a wrist injury and confirmed he was hanging up his boots yesterday.
In a 15-year professional career, Heem also played in England and France and on the international stage for the All Blacks Sevens, collecting a silver medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
His last match for the Blues was an appearance off the bench when they beat the Chiefs 41-10 in last year’s Super Rugby Pacific final at Eden Park.
Heem says it has been an incredible ride, and when he looked back on his career, it’s the people he has met and the memories he has made that stand out the most.
He says he is grateful for the opportunity to have represented several teams on his journey, and to finish at the Blues, and to win a championship last season was something special.
Heem acknowledged his wife, Jocelyn Heem, for supporting him through this entire journey, and she has been his rock, holding it all down at home so he could focus on doing what he loves.
He adds that without his wife, none of this would have been possible.
He also thanked the entire Blues organisation – the coaches, staff, and everyone who’s played some part in his career.
Heem says it is definitely a bit weird watching the Blues run out onto Eden Park this season as he has spent so many years playing with these players, and formed such deep connections with many of them.
He says, but that’s life, time moves on, and he adds that he does not miss the running sessions one bit.
Meanwhile, the Blues will be travelling to Suva for the first time to play the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua this week in round 13 of the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific.
The Drua will take on the Blues at 7.05pm at the HFC Bank Stadium.
In other matches this week, the Waratahs will play the Reds at 9.35pm Friday, the Crusaders will take on the Chiefs at 7.05pm Saturday, and the Force will host the Brumbies at 9.35pm Saturday.
