The challenge facing Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is not insignificant. For all the hype surrounding his Super Rugby Pacific debut this week, it may be best to temper initial expectations.
From one of the world’s premier league players to starting again as a 28-year-old rookie, Tuivasa-Sheck’s immediate transition will not be easy.
Tuivasa-Sheck did everything he could to fast-track his code switch by cutting short his final NRL season as Warriors captain to return home and prepare for New Zealand’s domestic season with Auckland last year.
A full provincial campaign would have allowed time to find his feet; to reacquaint with the intricacies of the breakdown, ball placement into contact, defensive duties among other major differences to league.
Tuivasa-Sheck was initially supposed to start for Auckland on the wing, before progressing into the midfield. In many ways that would have been a perfect reintroduction.
Unfortunately for the Blues and their headline recruit, Auckland’s four-month lockdown put pay to those plans. Tuivasa-Sheck instead made his preseason debut for the Blues in Wellington three weeks ago — seven months after his last match.
Positional plans have changed, too. There is no easing in on the edge where he would enjoy much more time and space, where former All Blacks flyer Israel Dagg believes he is best suited. It’s now straight into the cut and thrust of the congested, all-encompassing second five-eighth role. There the Blues hope he can fill the void left by TJ Faiane’s departure to Japan.
While different athletes, Sonny Bill Williams offers a case study in the challenges of switching oval ball codes.
Williams left the Bulldogs in 2008 and spent the next two years in Toulon learning his craft alongside Tana Umaga. After two seasons in French rugby, Williams steadily progressed from Canterbury to the Crusaders but only when he moved to the Chiefs in 2012 and worked with Wayne Smith did he truly begin to flourish in union. Those 2012 and 2013 seasons when the Chiefs captured their maiden titles Williams was unstoppable.
All told, Williams needed three years to feel comfortable in union to the point he could act before thinking.
Such a timeline does not automatically apply to Tuivasa-Sheck but, given he will attempt to play the same position, Williams’ transition provides perspective and, perhaps, offers a cautionary tale on coming to grips with a rival code.
Lest we forget Benji Marshall’s brief, ill-fated stint with the Blues.
Tuivasa-Sheck at least has previous union experience, which should help spark intuition in time. Yet he freely admits his days captaining the Otahuhu College first XV and Blues development teams feels a lifetime ago.
“It’s totally different coming into this level,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. “Playing at school it’s hard to bring back those skills. The other tough part is trying to break my league habits in this environment.
“It’s a tough gig to come in and understand my role. One week I feel OK, I’m starting to get it, then the next I’m out of position.”
Learning, adjusting in the spotlight where your every move is analysed further complicates the picture. Tuivasa-Sheck’s decorated league career, his influential presence on every team he represented, dictates expectations are far from realistic in terms of his starting point.
While hopes will persist that his fast feet and carrying abilities develop to a point of difference, projections of Tuivasa-Sheck cracking the All Blacks midfield are premature.
Confronting Anton Lienert-Brown, Quinn Tupaea, David Havili and Peter Umaga-Jensen promises to be a baptism of fire in the coming weeks.
Kiwi Super Rugby derbies are akin to All Blacks trials. As far as dipping your toe back in, it’s a daunting place to start.
Beauden Barrett is set to miss the Blues opening match due to lingering concussion concerns but when he returns, his experience will be critical in helping guide Tuivasa-Sheck through the early stages when even the simple union tasks could appear clunky.
Likewise, Rieko Ioane’s presence at centre should ease the burden and allow Tuivasa-Sheck to largely focus on his tasks. The complexities of the midfield were evident in Tuivasa-Sheck’s first two preseason hit outs with the Blues. In his first outing he conceded two penalties from two of his carries in wet conditions against the Hurricanes.
“He can definitely help with some of the things like ball placement and how he lands,” Blues coach Leon MacDonald noted. “Rog was busy, I thought. He tried to get into the game. I thought he brought some good energy and carried well at times. It was a good hitout and I think he will be better for it.”
MacDonald has, on the whole, spoken glowingly of Tuivasa-Sheck’s professionalism and application to learn – recalling a meeting in which he showed up having already watched clips MacDonald intended to present. Such diligence speaks to the leadership Tuivasa-Sheck brought to his league career. In a union context, he skipped levels to jump headfirst in the Super Rugby deep end.
“He trains every day like he plays,” MacDonald said. “They must do a lot of contact in league because he was into it from the first warm up drill so that’s not an issue. He likes being in the middle of the play and having the ball in his hands. He’s able to take the line on and he enjoys the physicality so he likes the defensive side of it as well. At the moment it looks like it suits him.”
In his mind, Tuivasa-Sheck fully appreciates the highlight reel, ankle-breaking moments won’t come immediately. Resilience will be needed as mistakes are certain in the transition phase. Amid the challenges, intrigue comes with no one sure how Tuivasa-Sheck will progress.
“Of course I’d love to come in and start ticking the boxes right from the start but I’ve got to understand it’s been a while since I’ve played rugby and there’s a lot of challenges,” Tuivasa-Sheck said. “I’ve got to be happy with the process and continue to build as we go. There’s a lot of good stuff I can do at training but when it comes to games it’s a whole new page.”