Ian Foster breaks silence on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's All Blacks chances
Ian Foster is excited to see ex-NRL star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s rugby union career kick-off earlier than expected, but an All Blacks call-up for the end-of-year tour is still some way off from a certainty.
Tuivasa-Sheck made headlines last week when he was granted an early release from his contract with the Warriors in the wake of the New Zealand Government’s decision to pause its travel bubble with Australia for eight weeks.
The Warriors have been based in Australia for the past two seasons in a bid to keep the NRL alive amid the volatile COVID-19 climate.
However, with only five rounds remaining in the current NRL season, the lengthy travel pause forced Tuivasa-Sheck to weigh up his options before opting to return to New Zealand to play for Auckland in this year’s NPC to help prepare him for next year’s Super Rugby season with the Blues.
The 2018 Dally M Medallist’s decision to come to New Zealand rugby earlier than anticipated excites Foster, who revealed he has held numerous talks with Tuivasa-Sheck.
“We’ve had a number of talks with Roger. The fact he’s been able to come back early I think is great for him, and it’s a massive kudos to the Warriors as an organisation for what they’ve done for him,” Foster said on Monday.
“They’ve given him a chance to have a run into the campaign, and so, first and foremost, I think it’s a fantastic gesture from them and I’m sure Roger greatly appreciates it.”
Foster’s excitement over the cross-code star doesn’t translate to a guaranteed place in the All Blacks’ end-of-year tour of the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, though.
The All Blacks are scheduled to play the USA, Wales, Ireland, France and Italy in successive weeks throughout October and November, but Foster is waiting to see how Tuivasa-Sheck fares in New Zealand provincial rugby before bringing him into the selection frame.
“It’s not a serious consideration for us at this stage,” Foster said when asked of the 28-year-old’s selection chances later this year.
However, Foster has full faith that Tuivasa-Sheck and Auckland head coach Alama Ieremia have a plan in place to help the 2013 NRL Premiership winner learn the nuances of rugby union and flourish in the NPC.
“What do we expect out of him? We just expect him to go out there and put a smile on his face and learn something new.
The All Blacks have identified the biggest lesson they learned from last year’s shock 16-all draw against the Wallabies ahead of their re-match in Auckland this weekend. #AllBlacks #Wallabies #BledisloeCup #NZLvAUS https://t.co/c3TC7QBRkw
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) August 2, 2021
“It’s quite stimulating learning something new and he’s motivated and I’m sure, with him and Alama, they’ll work on a really good plan and we’ll just keep an eye on him.”
Just where Tuivasa-Sheck will slot into the Auckland backline remains to be seen, but former dual-code legend Sonny Bill Williams believes his former Sydney Roosters teammate would be best utilised on the wing upon his induction into rugby union.
“I think he’ll play wing in the early stages of his transition,” Williams, a 58-test All Black and 12-test Kiwi, told Channel Nine last week.
“For me, it’s not a case of will he make it to the All Blacks or will he thrive in the game of 15, it’s a question of how long it’ll take.
“We’ve got to remember that he grew up as a rugby player and league boys poached him from the game of rugby and brought him across, so he shouldn’t have too much problems transitioning back.”
The 2021 NPC season kicks-off this weekend, with Auckland scheduled to begin their campaign against Canterbury at Eden Park on Sunday.
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
82 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments