Kiwis and Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck talks to The Herald's Michael Burgess about being at such a historic stadium where Manchester United plays and being on tour with the Kiwis in England.
Kiwis fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has quickly become an old head on young shoulders.
Though we have seen his career flash before our eyes, it's still hard to believe just how far he has come in a short period of time.
This time two years ago Tuivasa-Sheck was already a name- having won a grand final and been named Dally M rookie of the year. But at the 2013 World Cup he was junior member of the Kiwis squad, the whizz kid on the end of the backline who flashed across for eight tries in seven games.
Fast forward two years and the 22-year-old Tuivasa-Sheck is arguably the most important member of the Kiwis backline. Dean Whare, Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Jason Nightingale have much more experience, but it's likely nobody will have more influence on Monday morning's match than the Roosters star.
He'll be the main weapon running off the forward charges, and he is also responsible for guiding new halves Tui Lolohea and Peta Hiku around the field.
"I feel honoured and a bit blessed," said Tuivasa-Sheck of his new role. "I get to control the Kiwis a bit. It's weird saying that but I feel like I have a lot of ownership in controlling some of the boys and I am happy to take it on. I've got Issac Luke and pretty much a whole forward pack who are all senior players...so it is good to have them there too."
The feeling remains that if the forwards fire - and Luke and Tuivasa-Sheck have good games, then the result should take care of itself for the Kiwis, who are looking for their first series win in England since 1998.
Meanwhile Tuivasa-Sheck says the young players in the team - coach Stephen Kearney has named four rookies in his first test squad - are fitting in well to the New Zealand environment.
"Never a problem coming into camp and the boys get united real quick," said Tuivasa-Sheck. "We are all quite similar, with similar likes. And as soon as we hit the [training] field we see them come alive...they are not so young anymore and are part of the team."
Tuivasa-Sheck is also enjoying life on tour, his second major trip with the Kiwis after the 2013 World Cup.
"It's pretty cool being on tour," said Tuivasa-Sheck. "In the morning do our hard yards with training and then in the afternoon a bit of shopping and sightseeing...then at night we just chill out."
- By Michael Burgess in Hull
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