The converted league star is hungry for game time to turn the theories he's been practicing into reality in game situations.

Denied a prospective easing into rugby with Auckland in the Bunnings NPC, Tuivasa-Sheck has worked hard to understand the roles he will face in the Blues midfield in Super Rugby Pacific starting next month.

Tuivasa-Sheck said the most difficult thing about the change to rugby was understanding his role.

Before committing to a switch to rugby, he turned to former league players who became All Blacks like Ngani Laumape, Matt Duffie and Sonny Bill Williams.

"I think the big thing that came back from them was that they loved the pre-season. They loved the breaks they were getting compared to league. That was a big difference. For me, it was about making sure it all lined up with what my goals were for me and my family.

"I'm glad I made the decision, and I'm here now," he said.

"One week I feel like I am starting to get it and then the next week I'm out of position. You just keep learning as you go," he said.

Adapting to different players playing inside and outside him was another constant.

The pre-season set-up with the Blues was enjoyable.

"The non-All Blacks came together with the coaches in November while December was self-driven, and I was able to go away and focus on crafts I needed to work on.

"When we came back together in January we were able to get going on team stuff," he said.

Tuivasa-Sheck said when learning he was being viewed as a midfield player, he contacted former Blues assistant coach and All Blacks captain Tana Umaga.


Tuivasa-Sheck in pre-season training with Blues
 

He said he didn't think there was anyone better than Umaga he could talk with about the role, especially defensively.

Coach Leon MacDonald said his new player had been able to take to the game so quickly because of the professionalism he applied.

MacDonald said getting game time would be most important for Tuivasa-Sheck to realise where he was in making the transition.

"That's the exciting opportunity that's coming up in the next week or so for Roger. He's built some good relationships with his players around him, he's getting some good combinations, and he understands his role well and loves the physicality of the midfield.

"He's well-balanced in his game which is pleasing. His catch-pass and kicking game is strong as well. He's ready to go, he was probably ready a couple of weeks ago," he said.

While Tuivasa-Sheck is not new to rugby, having played for New Zealand at schoolboys level, he said one of the changes he noticed on his return, which proved 'discombobulating' to him, was the 'constantly changing pictures'. The level was something higher than he had experienced before.

He has also developed an appreciation of the art of the breakdown. From afar, it looked a mess, but he soon learned players were trying to achieve some technical things.

"Those are the little things I'm trying to learn," he said.

Breaking his league habits was another factor.

It would have been a dream for him to make a start in the Bunnings NPC with a few games last year to be ready for the Super Rugby pre-season, especially after the Warriors allowed him to make an early departure to do that. But the lockdown had happened, and he needed to keep on moving along.

"Of course, I want to come in and put my best foot forward and start ticking the boxes right from the start, but I understand that it's been a while since I played some rugby and there's a lot of challenges," he said.

However, the lack of playing time had one significant compensation for a player forced to live in Australia for two seasons while his family was back home. That the increased time he had with his family. Another advantage was being able to work more with the coaches.