Roger Tuivasa-Sheck reportedly signs with New Zealand rugby, eyes 2019 World Cup

NEW Zealand rugby union has reportedly poached their “next” Sonny Bill Williams from the NRL with a plan to blood the star ahead of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has reportedly signed on with New Zealand rugby.

ROGER Tuivasa-Sheck’s transition from rugby league to rugby in time for the 2019 World Cup is reportedly all but complete.

The Warriors and Kiwis fullback will sign on with New Zealand Rugby and likely join the Blues for the 2019 Super Rugby campaign, according to Radio New Zealand, putting himself in the frame for an All Blacks World Cup call-up. The Samoan-born livewire played both rugby and rugby league throughout high school before joining the Sydney Roosters in late 2011.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has reportedly signed on with New Zealand rugby.

He has since gone on to earn a big-money move to the Warriors and become club captain.

He is yet to inform his Warriors teammates of the move, according to RNZ.

However, Tuivasa-Sheck’s manager Bruce Sharrock has hit back at the reports, saying they are baseless rumours.

“It’s another case of journalistic sensationalism and this is one of the reasons why we don’t speak to people,” Sharrock said.

“I can tell you categorically, I’ve not even spoken to the Blues.”

Sharrock said they’re not yet talking to anyone about where he’ll play from 2019.

GROWTH: England-New Zealand Test in USA?

RELEASE: Why Tigers let ‘next Izzy Folau’ walk

“There is quite a thorough process for us to go through and we’re still doing that,” he said.

“We haven’t entered discussions with anyone on anything, he’s evaluating a whole host of issues and that’s what we do.

“What I can say is that the Warriors are certainly high on that priority list to engage with, but there has been no engagement.

“There have been other clubs that have registered interest, but we’re just not ready to talk. In order to get any deal done, you’ve got to have two parties that are willing to bring it to a head.

Tuivasa-Sheck has a year to run on his Warriors contract.

“At this stage we’re not ready. I’m not going to go into the reasons why, they’re his private reasons.

“When he’s ready to go into negotiations, we will and then hopefully we’ll get a deal done and then at the back end you guys will find out it’s all done and we’ll have no problem talking about it.”

Australian media reports in October - around the time of the Kiwis’ disastrous Rugby League World Cup campaign - suggested that Tuivasa-Sheck had long-held ambitions to play the 15-a-side game and crack the All Blacks. At the time, Tuivasa-Sheck kept quiet on the speculation.

Yet, should he switch from league to rugby, he may have a fairly difficult time earning a black jumper amidst a crowded back-three field.

He’ll have little time to earn the trust of coach Steve Hansen before the 2019 World Cup, while a score of prodigious backs - including Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett - will play protagonists’ roles in 2023.

Other players could also emerge in the meantime - but Hansen didn’t mind the idea of having Tuivasa-Sheck at his disposal.

“I like the rumour,” Hansen told reporters in October.

Originally published as Roger Tuivasa-Sheck reportedly signs with New Zealand rugby, eyes 2019 World Cup