Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

NRL star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes decision on future following cross-code switch speculation

(Photo by Tony Feder/Getty Images)

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will be at the Warriors next season, with his manager ending speculation linking the brilliant fullback to rugby union in 2021.

ADVERTISEMENT

And the 27-year-old NRL superstar and his partner Ash Walker have already made the decision to move their young family to Australia next year, if the Warriors are forced to camp across the ditch again.

While captain Tuivasa-Sheck’s commitment to the Warriors was never in question, Covid-19 has thrown up a lot of issues for sportspeople around the world, and particularly for a team like the Warriors who play in another nation’s competition.

Video Spacer

The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 18

Video Spacer

The Aussie Rugby Show | Episode 18

Tuivasa-Sheck, one of the country’s most admired sports stars, has been inspirational as the Warriors dealt with all manner of mainly Covid-19 related problems in Australia this year.

The team, which plays its final match against the Sea Eagles on Sunday, has been camped in Australia for nearly five months, with the squad moving there at short notice before family members were able to join them later.

After the rugby speculation re-emerged over the weekend, Warriors CEO Cameron George and Tuivasa-Sheck’s agent Bruce Sharrock met this morning.

Sharrock – who has about 10 other Warriors on his books – told NZME that Tuivasa-Sheck was one of many professional sportspeople around the world dealing with uncertain times because of the pandemic restrictions.

ADVERTISEMENT

Captain and fullback Tuvasa-Sheck is contracted until the end of the 2022 season, although the final year of that deal has an option in his favour.

“Like many players Roger was concerned about what next year will look like,” said Sharrock.

“Roger asked ‘what happens next year? But everyone has time to plan what they can do this time.”

The spotlight has fallen on Tuivasa-Sheck’s 2021 season because he is so important to the club, and it was widely reported how tough he was finding life away from Ash, and their young kids Amara, aged 3, and Nico, who is about to turn 1.

They had remained in Manukau because the kids were so young, and Ash had a lot of family support here. But with more time to plan, they will head to Australia next year if necessary. Tuivasa-Sheck’s parents live in Sydney.

ADVERTISEMENT

The rugby union suggestions didn’t come completely out of nowhere.

For starters, New Zealand Rugby Players Association manager Kevin Senio approached the Tuivasa-Sheck camp, enquiring if he would be available for a proposed match between the All Blacks and a Pasifika team.

Senio was told that Tuivasa-Sheck was under contract, and that playing for a Pasifika rugby team was “highly unlikely”. The game never went ahead.

But as Tuivasa-Sheck tried to work out what to do next year in such tumultuous times, Sharrock approached New Zealand Rugby to see if it would consider a player like him. Sharrock informed the Warriors about that.

Tuivasa-Sheck’s plans for 2021 are now set in concrete.

Sharrock said the key for players and family was to treat any shift as an adventure, and a chance to experience a different culture.

Warriors boss George said the club had to be innovative and flexible to deal with whatever lay ahead in such uncertain times.

“I have the welfare and wellbeing of every player to consider,” he said.

“These are difficult situations but I never felt that Roger was going to be leaving.

“He’s our leader, the face of the club, an amazing human.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

{{item.title}}

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

O
Oh no, not him again? 2 hours ago
England internationals disagree on final play execution vs All Blacks

Okay, so we blew it big time on Saturday. So rather than repeating what most people have all ready said, what do I want to see from Borthwick going forward?


Let's keep Marcus Smith on the pitch if he's fit and playing well. I was really pleased with his goal kicking. It used to be his weakness. I feel sympathy for George Ford who hadn't kicked all match and then had a kick to win the game. You hear pundits and commentators commend kickers who have come off the bench and pulled that off. Its not easy. If Steve B continues to substitute players with no clear reason then he is going to get criticised.


On paper I thought England would beat NZ if they played to their potential and didn't show NZ too much respect. Okay, the off the ball tackles certainly stopped England scoring tries, but I would have liked to see more smashing over gainlines and less kicking for position. Yes, I also know it's the Springbok endorsed world cup double winning formula but the Kiwi defence isn't the Bok defence, is it. If you have the power to put Smith on the front foot then why muzzle him? I guess what I'm saying is back, yourself. Why give the momentum to a team like NZ? Why feed the beast? Don't give the ball to NZ. Well d'uh.


Our scrum is a long term weakness. If you are going to play Itoje then he needs an ogre next door and a decent front row. Where is our third world class lock? Where are are realible front row bench replacements? The England scrum has been flakey for a while now. It blows hot and cold. Our front five bench is not world class.


On the positive side I love our starting backrow right now. I'd like to see them stick together through to the next world cup.


Anyway, there is always another Saturday.

7 Go to comments
C
CO 2 hours ago
Scott Robertson responds to criticism over All Blacks' handling errors

Robertson is more a manager of coaches than a coach so it comes down to intent of outcomes at a high level. I like his intent, I like the fact his Allblacks are really driving the outcomes however as he's pointed out the high error rates are not test level and their control of the game is driving both wins and losses. England didn't have to play a lot of rugby, they made far fewer mistakes and were extremely unlucky not to win.


In fact the English team were very early in their season and should've been comfortably beaten by an Allblacks team that had played multiple tests together.


Razor has himself recognised that to be the best they'll have to sort out the crisis levels of mistakes that have really increased since the first two tests against England.


Early tackles were a classic example of hyper enthusiasm to not give an inch, that passion that Razor has achieved is going to be formidable once the unforced errors are eliminated.


That's his secret, he's already rebuilt the passion and that's the most important aspect, its inevitable that he'll now eradicate the unforced errors. When that happens a fellow tier one nation is going to get thrashed. I don't think it will be until 2025 though.


The Allblacks will lose both tests against Ireland and France if they play high error rates rugby like they did against England.


To get the unforced errors under control he's going to be needing to handover the number eight role to Sititi and reset expectations of what loose forwards do. Establish a clear distinction with a large, swarthy lineout jumper at six that is a feared runner and dominant tackler and a turnover specialist at seven that is abrasive in contact. He'll then need to build depth behind the three starters and ruthlessly select for that group to be peaking in 2027 in hit Australian conditions on firm, dry grounds.


It's going to help him that Savea is shifting to the worst super rugby franchise where he's going to struggle behind a beaten pack every week.


The under performing loose forward trio is the key driver of the high error rates and unacceptable turn overs due to awol link work. Sititi is looking like he's superman compared to his openside and eight.


At this late stage in the season they shouldn't be operating with just the one outstanding loose forward out of four selected for the English test. That's an abject failure but I think Robertson's sacrificing link quality on purpose to build passion amongst the junior Allblacks as they see the reverential treatment the old warhorses are receiving for their long term hard graft.


It's unfortunately losing test matches and making what should be comfortable wins into nail biters but it's early in the world cup cycle so perhaps it's a sacrifice worth making.


However if this was F1 then Sam Cane would be Riccardo and Ardie would be heading into Perez territory so the loose forwards desperately need revitalisation through a rebuild over the next season to complement the formidable tight five.

28 Go to comments
LONG READ
LONG READ 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd' 'There will be no honeymoon period for Borthwick's wedding usher El-Abd'
Search