Fifty days with no footy: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck cools heels before ...

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Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s rugby far from went to the script he hoped for.

Had everything gone to script, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck would be in Mendoza this weekend and Paris in late October, dazzling his way to World Cup glory with the All Blacks.

Instead, the former rugby league star sits idle at his Auckland home, putting the twinkle toes up before what shapes as a low-key exit from the 15-man game and a return to the Warriors next year.

In fact, having fallen so far down the pecking order at the Blues during this year’s Super Rugby Pacific campaign, it’s going to be exactly 50 days with no footy before the fully fit three-test All Black trots out for his next fixture.

That will come far from the grand stage of a packed-out international arena, but instead in front of a crowd of next to no-one, at Taupō’s Owen Delany Park, in Auckland’s opening NPC pre-season fixture against Hawke’s Bay on July 23.

Not exactly what the 30-year-old had in mind when making the much-publicised switch of sports in 2021.

Andrew Cornaga/Photosport

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck chats with All Blacks coach Ian Foster during a training session last year.

However, despite speculation around the possibility of an early release from his New Zealand Rugby contract, as well as interest from the Manly Sea Eagles as they looked to replace injured fullback Tom Trbojevic, Tuivasa-Sheck is steadfastly staying put to see out his time in rugby union.

That will mean a full campaign with Auckland, who open their competition proper on August 6 against Bay of Plenty in Tauranga.

“Roger’s super excited about playing NPC, he wants to play for the blue and white hoops and finish this part of his rugby career really well before he heads off back to the Warriors,” said first-year head coach Craig McGrath, who has worked with Tuivasa-Sheck as the side’s assistant the last three years and also as Blues defence coach the past two seasons.

Forgive yourself for having no clue when Tuivasa-Sheck actually last took the field. It was a dozen or so minutes in what was, rather symbolically, a forgettable affair in itself – the Blues’ 16-9 last-round win over the Highlanders at Eden Park on June 2.

Since then, there has been not even a club game for the high-profile code-hopper, with Tuivasa-Sheck instead prioritising rest, despite just 337 minutes across the Super season, before getting together with the Auckland squad on July 17.

After starting the first four games of the Blues’ season, it was during his seven-week layoff with a fractured hand that came the bombshell announcement he was headed back to the 13-man game from 2024.

How much that played a part in the rest of his campaign with the Blues, who knows, but he most certainly fell by the wayside, his last start coming in the dramatic 31-30 win over Moana Pasifika on May 6, before two runs from the reserves.

McGrath noted that others had grabbed their opportunity in the midfield while Tuivasa-Sheck was on the sideline, as opposed to him being so deficient in certain areas.

Such has the fall been, though, there was hardly an eyebrow raised when Tuivasa-Sheck was not included in the 36-man All Blacks Rugby Championship squad, or even in the 30-strong All Blacks XV group.

Not that McGrath is complaining about having someone of his quality, or stature, in his own ranks.

“As everyone says all the time, he’s the ultimate pro.

“He’s going to be a massive part of our campaign. He’s a leader... some guys coming out of our academy and club rugby can learn a lot out of just being around a guy like Roger.

“He’s going to provide so much in the short time for our young men.”

And, having already been shifted to the right wing – where he played his schoolboy footy – for the last two of his six NPC appearances last year, don’t be surprised to see Tuivasa-Sheck somewhere other than second-five, or the No 14 jersey, this time round, either, potentially.

“We’re quite fortunate that we’ve got a lot of good midfielders and outside backs, so it’s going to be great for competition,” McGrath said.

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Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will don the Auckland colours again before he heads back to the Warriors.

“With the style of game we want to attack with, in particular, you want guys like Roger to get their hands on the ball as often as possible, so he could play anywhere from jersey number 12 to 15, really.”

Barring some sort of Stephen Donald-type reprieve, it’s going to be quite the under-the-radar finish to Tuivasa-Sheck’s run in rugby, though McGrath was adamant he could most certainly hold his head high with what he’s achieved.

“He’s done everything he can to make himself better and adapt to the game,” he said.

“He’s been great to deal with, always wanting to learn, always asking good questions, and just being the ultimate pro – in the gym, in front of laptops, and on the training field.

“I don’t think he’ll regret anything he’s done. He’s become an All Black, he’s played for the Blues, he’s played for Auckland, he’s lived out his childhood dream, I guess.”