This story was first published on Stuff.co.nz and has been republished with permission.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck says he hasn't given up on his Rugby World Cup dream, even though Thursday's announcement that he was returning next season to his beloved New Zealand Warriors in the NRL on a three-year deal strongly suggests otherwise.
The 29-year-old rugby league legend came to the 15-man code late in 2021 in a whirl of positivity and hope around fulfilling his dream to wear the All Blacks jersey on the greatest stage of all – the Rugby World Cup.
But for one reason or another – COVID, injuries, sheer quality of rivals in his position – this outstanding athlete and footballer was not quite able to achieve his ambitions.
Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific and Super W seasons on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand
Or at least he hasn't yet.
He remains adamant the dream is not over, and that he is still driven to make Ian Foster's World Cup squad.
But the fact he's secured his return to league indicates he has seen the writing on the wall – and probably did so as early as last November's tour north when he was pretty much surplus to requirements.
With Jordie Barrett nailed on as the first-choice All Blacks No.12, and David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown, and Jack Goodhue likely all ahead of him on the national pecking order, he's a long-shot at best to make the plane to France.
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Tuivasa-Sheck fronted the media on Friday at Blues headquarters for the first time since his decision to return to the club he has made 111 appearances for was announced, and was a model of professionalism throughout, studiously dancing around most questions to do with the 13-man code out of respect for the situation he remains in for the remainder of this year.
Time and again the three-test All Black – he played a total of 90 minutes of international rugby in 2022, with just the single start – fended off attempts to get him to open up on his storybook return to the Warriors he spent six seasons with between 2016 and '21, and of the background to the deal that has reportedly been in the works since last December.
"Those questions and details of going to the Warriors and as a rugby league player will be made later in the year," he said, in a response he would echo throughout his media standup.
"For now I'm stoked to be going back there. It's a club I love, but I'm a rugby man now, a Blues man, and all those questions and details will be later in the year.
"I'm excited to go back and play some league, but for now I'm pumped for the season we have in front of us with the Blues and looking forward to making a push for the playoffs."
So, we wondered was Rugby World Cup still on the radar as he gets set to return next week from just over a month out with a fractured hand?
"There's definitely a dream there," he said. "But before I get to that I need to get myself back on the Blues park and that's by preparing well here and making the team.
"It's tough competition. Harry [Plummer] and Bryce [Heem] are doing really well ... midfield is where the competition is, it's exciting for the club, and I've got to make sure I can get back to that first."
More notable was his response when asked if he was proud of what he achieved in rugby. There have been flashes of his ability and athleticism through one-and-a-half seasons with the Blues in which injuries have slowed his development trajectory. But they have translated to scant opportunities at the top level.
"So far I've been pretty happy with how I've been in rugby," he responded. "With the time I've had I'm stoked I get to represent my two home-town clubs, the Blues and Warriors. I'm real proud I got to do that and also that I got to fulfil a childhood dream which was to wear the black jersey. So, I'm pretty happy with that.
"There's going to be a time when I sit back and reflect, but now the announcement has been made I'm ready to rock on with rugby."
The reality is the moons never quite aligned for Tuivasa-Sheck. Covid denied him an NPC campaign in '21 that would have given him a head-start on the transition to a code he hadn't played since school, and then injuries removed him from crucial chunks of both last and this season with the Blues.
In a crowded All Blacks midfield scenario, in a national team struggling for form and consistency, he never really got a shot in the test arena, coming off the bench for a combined 21 minutes against Ireland and Australia and then starting a shaky encounter against Japan in Tokyo.
Frustrating?
"The only frustrating part would be the injuries," he said. "I'm pretty happy with the way I've gone in rugby. I'm not overwhelming, I'm not headlining as a rugby player, but I'm still happy with the time I've had here so far. But there are a few more months of me as a rugby player, and I'm still chasing my best self."
What about his lack of burn with the All Blacks? That had to be tough?
"It wasn't frustrating – it was exciting, it was a challenge," he replied. "I'm going up against your David Havilis, your Jordie Barretts, your Rieko Ioanes ... those are superstars. I was lucky to rub shoulders with them. I want to continue that. Athletes enjoy that challenge of competing against the best."
Tuivasa-Sheck confirmed he had offers from Japan, and hinted there had been plenty from elsewhere in the NRL. But he said they had been easy to deflect.
"We had interest from offshore, but the first thing we decided is we want to be home. We love it here in Auckland, we love New Zealand. I want my kids to run around with their cousins and grow up in this lifestyle. I'm glad I'm staying home.
"Over the last few years I've played to make my parents proud, and now I'm a parent, I play to make my kids proud, and I play to feed my kids."
Asked if he had unfinished business with the Warriors, Tuivasa-Sheck said: "I think it's unfinished business with the Blues first ... it would be a dream to finish up with a chip here with the Blues – my proud home team."
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This story was first published on Stuff.co.nz and has been republished with permission.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck says he hasn't given up on his Rugby World Cup dream, even though Thursday's announcement that he was returning next season to his beloved New Zealand Warriors in the NRL on a three-year deal strongly suggests otherwise.
The 29-year-old rugby league legend came to the 15-man code late in 2021 in a whirl of positivity and hope around fulfilling his dream to wear the All Blacks jersey on the greatest stage of all – the Rugby World Cup.
But for one reason or another – COVID, injuries, sheer quality of rivals in his position – this outstanding athlete and footballer was not quite able to achieve his ambitions.
Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific and Super W seasons on the home of rugby, Stan Sport. All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand
Or at least he hasn't yet.
He remains adamant the dream is not over, and that he is still driven to make Ian Foster's World Cup squad.
But the fact he's secured his return to league indicates he has seen the writing on the wall – and probably did so as early as last November's tour north when he was pretty much surplus to requirements.
With Jordie Barrett nailed on as the first-choice All Blacks No.12, and David Havili, Anton Lienert-Brown, and Jack Goodhue likely all ahead of him on the national pecking order, he's a long-shot at best to make the plane to France.
READ MORE: Latrell shoots death stare at Origin teammate
READ MORE: Teen star stuns Olympic champ Titmus in 200m final
READ MORE: Joey's shock 'bolter' to replace injured Origin star
Tuivasa-Sheck fronted the media on Friday at Blues headquarters for the first time since his decision to return to the club he has made 111 appearances for was announced, and was a model of professionalism throughout, studiously dancing around most questions to do with the 13-man code out of respect for the situation he remains in for the remainder of this year.
Time and again the three-test All Black – he played a total of 90 minutes of international rugby in 2022, with just the single start – fended off attempts to get him to open up on his storybook return to the Warriors he spent six seasons with between 2016 and '21, and of the background to the deal that has reportedly been in the works since last December.
"Those questions and details of going to the Warriors and as a rugby league player will be made later in the year," he said, in a response he would echo throughout his media standup.
"For now I'm stoked to be going back there. It's a club I love, but I'm a rugby man now, a Blues man, and all those questions and details will be later in the year.
"I'm excited to go back and play some league, but for now I'm pumped for the season we have in front of us with the Blues and looking forward to making a push for the playoffs."
So, we wondered was Rugby World Cup still on the radar as he gets set to return next week from just over a month out with a fractured hand?
"There's definitely a dream there," he said. "But before I get to that I need to get myself back on the Blues park and that's by preparing well here and making the team.
"It's tough competition. Harry [Plummer] and Bryce [Heem] are doing really well ... midfield is where the competition is, it's exciting for the club, and I've got to make sure I can get back to that first."
More notable was his response when asked if he was proud of what he achieved in rugby. There have been flashes of his ability and athleticism through one-and-a-half seasons with the Blues in which injuries have slowed his development trajectory. But they have translated to scant opportunities at the top level.
"So far I've been pretty happy with how I've been in rugby," he responded. "With the time I've had I'm stoked I get to represent my two home-town clubs, the Blues and Warriors. I'm real proud I got to do that and also that I got to fulfil a childhood dream which was to wear the black jersey. So, I'm pretty happy with that.
"There's going to be a time when I sit back and reflect, but now the announcement has been made I'm ready to rock on with rugby."
The reality is the moons never quite aligned for Tuivasa-Sheck. Covid denied him an NPC campaign in '21 that would have given him a head-start on the transition to a code he hadn't played since school, and then injuries removed him from crucial chunks of both last and this season with the Blues.
In a crowded All Blacks midfield scenario, in a national team struggling for form and consistency, he never really got a shot in the test arena, coming off the bench for a combined 21 minutes against Ireland and Australia and then starting a shaky encounter against Japan in Tokyo.
Frustrating?
"The only frustrating part would be the injuries," he said. "I'm pretty happy with the way I've gone in rugby. I'm not overwhelming, I'm not headlining as a rugby player, but I'm still happy with the time I've had here so far. But there are a few more months of me as a rugby player, and I'm still chasing my best self."
What about his lack of burn with the All Blacks? That had to be tough?
"It wasn't frustrating – it was exciting, it was a challenge," he replied. "I'm going up against your David Havilis, your Jordie Barretts, your Rieko Ioanes ... those are superstars. I was lucky to rub shoulders with them. I want to continue that. Athletes enjoy that challenge of competing against the best."
Tuivasa-Sheck confirmed he had offers from Japan, and hinted there had been plenty from elsewhere in the NRL. But he said they had been easy to deflect.
"We had interest from offshore, but the first thing we decided is we want to be home. We love it here in Auckland, we love New Zealand. I want my kids to run around with their cousins and grow up in this lifestyle. I'm glad I'm staying home.
"Over the last few years I've played to make my parents proud, and now I'm a parent, I play to make my kids proud, and I play to feed my kids."
Asked if he had unfinished business with the Warriors, Tuivasa-Sheck said: "I think it's unfinished business with the Blues first ... it would be a dream to finish up with a chip here with the Blues – my proud home team."
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