Wynne Gray: Tuivasa-Sheck faces huge obstacles to make next RWC

Roger Tuivasa Sheck leads the Vodafone Warriors on to the field. Photo / Photosport

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is a fine player whose game has been stonewashed at the Warriors.

He was a great "get" for the club after being part of the Roosters' title-winning squad but through a combination of mixed playing strengths on the roster, serious injury, coaching concerns and the extra responsibility of captaincy, he has not hit the same peaks. He had a solid year returning from his serious knee injury to play in all but one game and to these eyes his performances were slightly astern of Simon Mannering but well in front of the rest in the award for player of the year.

Strong work from Tuivasa-Sheck is crucial for the Kiwis as they begin their Rugby League World Cup tonight while the rest of us can ponder the strange story trying to connect the fullback to the All Blacks for the 2019 World Cup.

Journos across the Ditch can turn a morsel into a two week smorgasbord and mention from his manager that Tuivasa-Sheck still harboured an All Black dream has been turned into the fullback's tilt at the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

The obstacles are overwhelming. Players of great talent such as Sonny Bill Williams, Ben Te'o, Sam Burgess and Israel Folau took time to come to grips with the code switch, Tuivasa-Sheck is contracted to the Warriors next year and by the end of that season, the wider All Black World Cup squad will be in the selectors' notebooks.

Strength and resources in the back three seem to grow every few months and there are probably a dozen players, including those injured and the unwanted Julian Savea, who would be in front of Tuivasa-Sheck for a place in Japan in two years.

Rugby is tough enough for those with a strong grounding in the game who are then tutored at the highest level and while Tuivasa-Sheck is a superb athlete and a well-grounded bloke, a successful transition to international rugby in one season would be a massive stretch.

His concentration needs to be in full focus tonight at Mt Smart as one of the Kiwis that captain Adam Blair can rely on to lead and help direct play through the inexperienced backline. Like Shaun Johnson, RTS delivers the greatest danger to rivals by running great lines as a support player for others who make a half-break.

If they can get some phase ball, their speed and agility will give fringe defenders plenty of concern and create holes for themselves or space for their Kiwi teammates. Samoa will look to put a clamp on that by taking the game through the middle and pulling the Kiwis into those areas.

The focus for RTS, coach David Kidwell, the Kiwis and anyone who follows rugby league has to be on an opening win at Mt Smart, otherwise conjecture about everyone's future will be in the red zone.