Auckland Blues coach Leon MacDonald believes new recruit Roger Tuivasa-Sheck can make an immediate impact in the upcoming Super Rugby season.
The rugby league star joined the Blues in July after leaving his post with the New Zealand Warriors in the NRL, and MacDonald says it hasn’t taken him long to get acquainted with the new code.
While he’s yet to step on the field in an official game, MacDonald believes the former Dally M medal winner will play in the side’s season opener.
“I expect him to be ready to go,” MacDonald told reporters.
“In his mind he's definitely ready to go in round one. It's about trying to pull him back instead of push him forward. He's pretty determined and excited.
“If you speak to any of the players and coaches, we're blown away by how quickly he has taken to the game. It's like he never left it. His detail and preparation is really impressive and his skillset is right up there. We thought it might take him a while with the different skill sets, but he's been working really hard at that.
“Like everyone he'll be trying to put his hand up and push for that game one starting spot.”
Having played as a fullback in the NRL, the natural transition for Tuivasa-Sheck was a switch to the wing in rugby union, but MacDonald says he now wants him to concentrate on playing in the middle.
“The big picture plan was to start him in the outsides with Auckland and progress him into midfield for us,” he said.
“But the outside backs was easy for him, and didn't take him long to adjust. We feel he's ticked that box. He did full contact with Auckland and looked great on the wing.
“We've said, ‘Let's narrow his focus now and concentrate on midfield for the next while’, knowing if he does become an outside back for whatever reason that transition is halfway done for him.”