NRL: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in doubt for Warriors-Cowboys clash and Kiwis' test against England in Denver

Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. Photo / Photosport

A lingering ankle injury could rule Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck out of next Friday's NRL clash against the Cowboys and the Kiwis mid-season test against England in Denver.

The 25-year-old fullback missed last night's 34-14 win over Manly in Christchurch after failing to recover from an ankle sprain suffered in the round 12 loss to South Sydney a fortnight ago.

Tuivasa-Sheck is due to undergo a fitness test in Auckland today, but there are no guarantees he'll be fit to play the Cowboys or available for the Kiwis test at Mile High Stadium on June 23.

"We'll give him every opportunity. There's no certainty that he'll be right," Warriors coach Stephen Kearney told Newstalk ZB.

"He'll have a run today and we'll see how that goes and it's obviously a short turn-around. We've got one training session on Tuesday before we head to Townsville on Wednesday, so we'll just see how he pulls up."

New Kiwis coach Michael Maguire attended the game at AMI Stadium and will spend the next couple of days in Auckland to assess the fitness of the Warriors' Kiwi internationals, with his side expected to be announced on Wednesday or Thursday.

If fit, Tuivasa-Sheck is a guaranteed selection and a leading contender to captain the side.
But the uncertainty over his fitness, combined with his status as Warriors skipper, mean he may feel an added sense of responsibility to put his health and the club's finals hopes before his international ambitions.

"If he's available then obviously he's selected," said Maguire. "That's a decision that Steve and Roger will have to make but also with the understanding that it's a Kiwi jersey and it's a big opportunity for any player."

Kearney would not be drawn on whether he expected Tuivasa-Sheck to recover in time to make the long-haul trip to Denver.

"My focus is on making sure that we're getting him right to play for us on Friday so we'll see what happens," he said.

If Tuivasa-Sheck does miss the Cowboys match, backline utility Peta Hiku would likely replace him for a third time this season, after filling in against the Sea Eagles and in the round 11 win over Parramatta.

Hiku previously played the first five of his 10 tests for New Zealand at fullback and could again cover the No 1 role for the Kiwis if required.