NRL Superstar Tuivasa-Sheck confirms code swtich

New Zealand Warriors captain and NRL star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will make his switch to rugby union in 2022.

The Warriors confirmed the news on Saturday.

"Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will leave the club at the end of the season to try his hand at rugby union, the superstar fullback confirmed on Saturday" - a statement from the Warriors read.

The 2018 Dally M Player of the Year and two-time Dally M Fullback of the Year is aiming to secure a spot in the All Blacks side ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup.

Tuivasa-Sheck addressed the media alongside Warriors CEO Cameron George and new coach Nathan Brown and confirmed he would be released from the final year of his contract in 2022.

"This will be my last year with the club and yes, I will be moving to NZ rugby next year," Tuivasa-Sheck said.

"The club has been supportive in the request and giving me the option to explore.

"Rugby has been the game I've grown up playing. It's always been there in the background. It's always been there, it's no secret.

"To do it now in a time like this and have the club's support, that's why I chose it now.

"But rugby is down the line and all that stuff will happen later in the year. 

"2021 is my focus, I'm excited about this year and so should the Warriors and NRL fans be.

"There's still a lot of goals I'm chasing [in league] and that's what I'm trying to do this year with the club.

"We've got a great group here and coaching staff to do something special this year."

Tuivasa-Sheck was reluctant to discuss his rugby ambitions further out of respect for the Warriors, but noted the desire to play for the All Blacks was not going to be an easy task.

George confirmed there was an agreement in place for Tuivasa-Sheck to return to the Warriors in the future should things not work out, but added he had "no doubt" the 27-year-old would make a mark on the 15-man code.

Tuivasa-Sheck played youth level union for the Blues and the Auckland-based side are rumoured to be the front runners for his services at Super Rugby level.