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Watch: Former All Black’s sensational showing in NRL pre-season return
Former All Black Roger Tuivasa-Sheck was sensational for the New Zealand Warriors on Sunday in their NRL pre-season 16-18 defeat to the Wests Tigers in Christchurch.
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Tuivasa-Sheck, 30, signed with the Warriors ahead of the 2024 NRL season which brought an end to a mixed two-year stint in rugby union with Auckland, the Blues and New Zealand.
The 2018 Dally M Medallist, who has played for both the Sydney Roosters and Warriors, almost signed with a Japanese rugby club before committing to a three-year deal in the NRL.
Tuivasa-Sheck has been front and centre in multiple social media posts over the past few months as fans from both codes looked ahead to his return to the field in rugby league.
As confirmed by the Warriors last week, Tuivasa-Sheck was named to start in the No. 4 jersey at centre ahead of the Warriors’ clash with the Benji Marshall-coached Wests Tigers.
It didn’t take long for Tuivasa-Sheck to impress, either, with the NRL releasing a 57-second compilation video that highlights all of the ex-All Blacks’ key involvements.
Tuivasa-Sheck caught opposition defenders in two minds with some fast-feet carries during the first half but the moment that stood out the most came on the defensive side of the ball.
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Replacement Sione Fainu made a meaningful line break up to halfway when the Tiger was met by a hard-hitting Tuivasa-Sheck. Fainu was looking for teammates in support before spotting the Warrior standing in his way.
Welcome back, RTS! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/eCdnWeGSIk
— NRL (@NRL) February 19, 2024
Tuivasa-Sheck picked up the 22-year-old, who is yet to debut in the NRL, and dumped him into the ground – much to the delight of the crowd who let out a big cheer.
The NRL Premiership winner – won with the Sydney Roosters in 2013 – pulled off another big shot a few minutes later with the Tigers close to the Warriors’ try-line.
For the rest of the match, as seen in the highlight video, Tuivasa-Sheck let his work in attack do the talking with the sidestepping whiz continuing to wreak havoc.
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The NRL has welcomed back the capped All Black with open arms.
“I thought I was going to go on to rugby and then I had a Japan deal lined up,” Tuivasa-Sheck told reporters last year.
“I was going to go, take my family, explore the world, see what happens and go from there.
“But when I went through the process, I called Jazz (Tevaga) and Tohu (Harris), who I was close with and said let’s go out for a coffee.
“I said, ‘Tell me one thing, do I just go to Japan and see what happens or do I come back?’
“They looked at each other and said there’s something here (at the Warriors).
“That got me excited, so then I had another catchup with Webby (coach Andrew Webster) and made the decision to come back.
“I’m just excited now because they’re excited. They feel something here and hopefully for the next few years something happens.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Yeah nah he comes across as a funny bloke, but that stopped abruptly after the Nutcracker Prince debacle✋
1 Go to commentsAt this point I can’t watch him without thinking he’s a dirty slimebag. He should have been banned for the same amount of time that Quinn was out. It took Tupaea near on a fricking year to get fit enough to play again and his leg will never be the same. The other crap thing is that he was at ABs level and now he has to claw his way back there when he could have had several games under his belt.
4 Go to commentsThe Black Ferns 7’s have been without Captain Sarah Hirini now since Dec 23 in Dubai where she suffered a bad ACL injury - hopefully she is on the road to recovery for Madrid and Paris. Now also have Tyler King and Shiray kaka on the Injured List but the Team still found a way to win in Singapore and claim the overall Title.
1 Go to commentsUtter grub, hope he gets his leg broken. Shocking he is still playing after intentionally breaking quinn tupaeas knee
4 Go to commentsGreat to see NZ 7s teams finally coming into form and playing at the level that is expected of them.
2 Go to commentsChief Cheapshot on the market again.
4 Go to commentsCrusaders went all in to buy Hotham and Kemara staight from Hamilton Boys. Then they picked up Reihana and Hohepa; all have been dropped for superstar Havili, who is a very good fullback, that’s it. Ennor and Goodhue were schoolboy stars too but went backwards at the Crusaders. Maybe they have finally decided to give another poach Levi Aumua the ball?
13 Go to commentsJoe S has some talent to pick from. The Reds loosies look the best in Super? Aus might just give Razor a headache this year. Int. experience v Cantab greenhorn:) Should be fun.
13 Go to commentsEnd to end play, “THE FANS” this game was entertainment of the best. The conditions added to the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsSorry to say, but sadly the sadas were just ordinary and havilli at 10 as an abs selection just won’t cut it. He’s better suited in the centre’s and is a victim of past charge down kicks, he’s too slow under pressure. There’s better talent further north and I don’t mean dmac however I believe razor will sort him out. A feature of his presents on the park is the fact that the guys will follow him.
13 Go to commentsMarler was brilliant throughout both in the scrum and open play. His slap made virtually no contact with Ramos who milked it for a penalty when he could have been a decent sportsman and laughed it off, it was non-violent and shouldn't have been penalised. Smith failed repeatedly to kick when necessary and put up a couple of bombs into the TLS 22 that just handed back possession at key moments to the other side.
3 Go to commentsCros was outstanding and rightly awarded France TVs player of the match award. Mallia was brilliant as usual (the y is below the 6 on a UK keyboard and he deserves better than that). Level also seems to have been scored harshly as he walked the ball into touch under pressure from a Lynagh kick from well outside his own half which should never have led to a 50-22. Agree with BullShark that Dupont, while class at times, seemed to go missing for patches in the second half with props, hookers and wings frequently filling in at 9 as he couldn't get off the deck and up to the next ruck on time. A 7 by his standards at best, his kicking was also too long, too often. Kinghorn's overall contribution was worth well more than a five.
4 Go to commentsThe Harlequins team must be in minus figures. Did the reporter actually watch the game?
4 Go to commentsHow on earth did Walker escape a red card? Not dangerous? Dupont has his face in a mask earlier this season. Shocking decision. What is the point of TMOs? We had the Fassi ‘non-penalty try’ yesterday and now this.
2 Go to commentsCould have been a different result but yet again French tv able to affect the result by not showing the very clear high shot on harlequin centre if this would have been on a French player would have been on screen at least five times
3 Go to commentsAmazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
4 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
2 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
3 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to comments