SATEKI Tuipulotu has snubbed Premiership champions Leicester by agreeing a new deal at Worcester Rugby Club.

The Tongan international rejected the chance to move to Welford Road once Worcester came up with an improved contract and will put pen to paper this week.

The future had looked far from certain until a second round of talks took place and a new deal was put on the table for the full- back.

With offers from the Tigers and Newport, the 29-year-old looked as if he had played his final game for the Sixways club last week after branding their first offer of a contract as an 'insult.'

"I've always wanted to stay at Worcester," said Tuipulotu, "However, it was just a matter of respect and I thought the first offer was an insult after the season I have had.

"Geoff Cooke wanted to keep me at the club and he has made that clear with this new offer."

The lure of the Premiership for Tuipulotu was a strong one but he had always insisted he wanted to "follow his dream" of helping Worcester to rugby's top flight.

"They were very good offers from Leicester and Newport but I'm still following the dream at Worcester.

"If I had gone to Leicester, they already have a fantastic squad and it would have been 50-50 to whether I would get a game.

"At 29, I need to be playing week in, week out and I can do that at Worcester. There was also the problem of re-locating and to be honest -- I am very happy at Sixways."

He added: "I am over the moon to be staying because the club means so much to me and I have built up a real bond with the supporters. I'm still on the road to achieving my ambition at Worcester."

It is a timely boost for the club who last week lost Andy Higgins and Chris Simpson-Daniel to Premiership side Bristol. The club are now hoping to tie up the contracts of Scott Barrow and Nick Baxter in the coming days.

The Tongan added: "With me, Nick Baxter, Scott Barrow and Neil Lyman signed up -- we should be laughing next season."