How the 2017 Lions tour helped inspire Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's code swap
Former NRL star and new Blues recruit Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has revealed the 2017 British & Irish Lions tour of New Zealand played a significant role in his decision to jump codes from rugby league to rugby union.
Speaking to former All Blacks wing Jeff Wilson on Breakdown The Pod, Tuivasa-Sheck opened up on his decision to leave behind his glittering league career in the NRL and embark on union career with the Blues in Super Rugby Pacific.
A former New Zealand Schools and Blues U18 representative, Tuivasa-Sheck said that he maintained an interest in union during his time in the NRL, where he made almost 200 appearances for the Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Warriors.
That interest piqued after 2018 Dally M Medallist returned to New Zealand to play for the Warriors following a title-winning four-season spell at the Roosters in 2016.
The following year, the British & Irish Lions travelled to New Zealand to face the All Blacks in a three-test series, as well as the five Super Rugby franchises and the New Zealand Provincial Barbarians.
Tuivasa-Sheck said he attended one of the three matches at Eden Park – either the opening or closing tests against the All Blacks, or the loss to the Blues – and said he was left in awe of the magnitude of the occasion.
That, the 28-year-old said, helped fuel his passion for union and sparked a desire to return to the XV-man code long after the Lions left New Zealand with a series draw.
“Yeah, I definitely followed the rugby, especially the Blues, again, being in Auckland, and whenever the New Zealand teams go ahead with each other,” Tuivasa-Sheck told Breakdown The Pod.
“I think I moved back in 2016, and in 2017 or ‘18, when they had the Lions tour, I was lucky enough to go to one of those games.
“The stage that they were playing on, I kind of sat there and looked around and said, ‘Wow, this is the stage, playing at Eden Park, full stadium, these are the stages’, and because I’m a competitor, this is where I wanted a challenge, on the big stages like this.
“A lot of times, that played on the back of my mind, ‘Should I have a crack at this or not?’, but, now that I’m here, I’m really excited about this new journey that I’m in and I’m ready to get stuck in.”
Five years later, Tuivasa-Sheck is now primed to make his official union debut with the Blues after being denied the chance to feature for Auckland in last year’s NPC due to the city’s four-month lockdown.
Tuivasa-Sheck’s wait for his first Super Rugby Pacific appearance has been held off by at least another week, though, as his side’s season-opener against Moana Pasifika has been postponed from this Friday due to a Covid outbreak in the opposition squad.
Nevertheless, Tuivasa-Sheck had the opportunity to try his hand at union for the first time since he was a schoolboy two weeks ago when he played for the Blues against the Hurricanes in a pre-season clash in Wellington.
Named to start at second-five, Tuivasa-Sheck helped guide the Blues to a 28-21 win at Rugby League Park, although he did so in understated fashion as he endured a quiet game in wet conditions.
However, the All Blacks prospect was pleased to have simply taken to the field after six months without action of any kind in either code.
“I loved it. I really enjoyed it. I’d been hanging out, waiting for a game, especially as I came over quite early from the Warriors to get a game with the Auckland NPC [team], but that fell short,” he said.
“Then we went into another pre-season with the Blues, and then now, getting a game, I’m excited. ‘Here we go, we’re in the pouring rain at Rugby League Park in Wellington’. It was exciting. I was just happy to play.
“I made a few mistakes there, which I’ll take the lessons [from], and got to get some body contact again and go live.”
Tuivasa-Sheck conceded he is still coming to terms with the nuances of union, particularly at the breakdown, but said he is doing so without acknowledging the external pressure that comes with being one of league’s top stars trying to make his name in union.
“My biggest thing was not to come out here and throw the pompoms on and say, ‘Here I am, I’m a Blues man’,” he told Breakdown The Pod.
“I really wanted to make it official by putting all my work into the pre-season and earning a spot in round one and putting it all on the field so I can really earn the groundwork and earn the players’ respect from out here waving the flag.
“For me, I put my expectation on myself. Doing that just means I just clear out all the other noise and I just go to work.
“There’s always my old man there, there’s my manager there, there’s a little circle that I have that I keep going back to, but, at the end of the day, the expectation is on myself, so any other noise is just noise to me.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Oh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
2 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
2 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
7 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to commentsTrue Jordie could earn a lot more in Japan. But by choosing Leinster he’ll be playing with 1 of the best clubs in the world and can win a champions cup and URC…..
6 Go to commentsThanks for that Marshy, noticed you didn't say who is gonna win it. We know who ain't gonna win it - your Crusaders outfit. They've gone from having arguably the best Super Rugby first five ever, to having a clutch of rookies. Hurricanes all the way!
1 Go to commentsGeez you really have to question the NRLs ability to produce players of quality. Its pathetic. Dont the 25mil in Aus produce enough quality womens players. Sad.
1 Go to commentsBulls fan here, and agree 100% with the conclusion (and little else) of this article. SA sides should absolutely f-off from the champs cup until we get fair scheduling, equal support for travel arrangements and home semis. You know, like all the european teams get.
26 Go to commentsI’m yet to see why Grace would be an ABs contender. He’s pedestrian and lacks the dominance required of a top flight 8.
11 Go to commentsGee my Highlanders were terrible. They have gone backwards since the start of the season. The trouble began when we left Millar behind to prep as the 10 against the Brumbies and he was disconnected from the team that came back from Aussie. We rested Patchell for that game and we blew an avalanche of ball in good attacking positions in the 1st half. Against the Rebels we seem to of gone into a pod system with forwards hanging off from the breakdown leaving Fakatava to secure our ball!
80 Go to comments