NRL: Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck reports of rugby switch 'totally baseless' says agent

"Absolutely baseless" - that's the response of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's agent to a media report this morning that the New Zealand Warriors captain was on the verge of signing with New Zealand Rugby.

"Roger is no further ahead in his decision-making process than he was pre-Christmas," Bruce Sharrock told the Herald.

Radio New Zealand has claimed that the Warriors and Kiwis fullback will sign with New Zealand Rugby and likely join the Blues for the 2019 Super Rugby campaign.

Comment: The Tuivasa-Sheck circus will continue through the year

"Total speculation, very disappointing," said Sharrock, "[it's] absolutely, total speculation and absolutely baseless."

"The article that came out is very disappointing," said Sharrock.

"I have, 100 per cent, had no discussion, formal or informal, with the Blues around the services of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck post 2018".

Sources at both New Zealand Rugby and the Auckland Blues have also privately dismissed the report to the Herald.

The Samoan-born livewire played both rugby and rugby league throughout high school before linking up with the Sydney Roosters in late 2011.

He has since gone on to earn a big-money move to the Warriors and become club captain, leading them to 13th place in the 2017 NRL season.

The Herald reported last year that Tuivasa-Sheck was looking at his options at the end of his current contract.

Warriors CEO Cameron George told Radio Sport that contracts talks with Tuivasa-Sheck continue.

"We've been engaging with Roger and his management for some time and that continued up until yesterday and still continues this morning.

"Roger's a very big part of our club and we see him as a very big part of our future, as I've previously stated," George said.

Australian media reports in October - around the time of the Kiwis' disastrous Rugby League World Cup campaign - suggested that Tuivasa-Sheck had long-held ambitions to play the 15-a-side game and crack the All Blacks.

Tuivasa-Sheck was one of the best performers for the Kiwis at the Rugby League World Cup. Photo / Photosport.

At the time, Tuivasa-Sheck kept quiet on the speculation.

Yet, should he switch from league to rugby, he may have a fairly difficult time earning a black jumper amid a crowded back-three field.

He'll have little time to earn the trust of coach Steve Hansen before the 2019 World Cup, while a score of prodigious backs - including Rieko Ioane, Damian McKenzie and Jordie Barrett - will play protagonists' roles in 2023.

Other players could also emerge in the meantime - but Hansen didn't mind the idea of having Tuivasa-Sheck at his disposal.

"I like the rumour," Hansen told reporters in October.

"If he comes over to rugby he'd be a good player, I think - one of the [Super Rugby] franchises, it'd be quite handy to pick him up."

- With AAP

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