Roger Tuivasa-Sheck ditches Kiwis in bombshell nationality switch
Updated . First published at
Former All Black and current Warriors star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will not be adding to his 20 Tests for the Kiwis.
Tuivasa-Sheck, who made his return to rugby league this season, has told new Kiwis coach Stacey Jones that he will be switching his allegiance to Samoa.
The former Kiwis fullback and captain last represented New Zealand in 2019, before COVID-19 put a line through the international league calendar in 2020 and his defection to rugby near the end of the 2021 NRL season.
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Roger Tuivasa-Sheck during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. Getty
"I've had talks to Roger and he indicated when he came back to the game he wanted to play for Samoa, represent his family, which I respect," Jones told 1News.
"I said to Rog, 'I would love you to be available for the Kiwis,' and he thought really hard, but he had already made his decision when he came back to rugby league to represent Samoa which I respect."
Samoa reached the final of the 2022 World Cup and should be even stronger at the 2026 tournament.
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Jarome Luai, Brian To'o and Stephen Crichton already represent the country.
"He's been very complimentary about the opportunity to play for Samoa," Samoa coach Ben Gardiner said of Tuivasa-Sheck.
"He has said if his form merits it he would like to make himself available.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck of the All Blacks celebrates victory at Eden Park. Getty
"When I've talked to Roger it's always been about building to the World Cup.
"We're trying to build a team so that when Samoa goes to the World Cup in 2026, everyone has played together and knows the styles and systems we have.
"It gives us an opportunity to take Samoa one better the next time around."
