NRL star Tuivasa-Sheck signs for Wakefield

Wakefield Trinity have signed National Rugby League star Roger Tuivasa-Sheck from New Zealand Warriors for the 2027 season.

The 32-year-old, primarily a full-back or winger, will move to Belle Vue as one of the biggest names to trade Australia's domestic scene for the Super League.

A dual-code international, Tuivasa-Sheck has made 235 appearances in the NRL since his debut for Sydney Roosters in 2012.

"I'm grateful for the opportunity to join Wakefield and compete in Super League," Tuivasa-Sheck, who will sign a two-year deal, told the club website.

"My family and I are really excited for the move and new challenge. From the conversations I've had, I can see the club is heading in a really positive direction and I'm looking forward to being part of that journey."

In 2018, while in his first spell at the Warriors, Tuivasa-Sheck was named full-back of the year and won player of the year at the Dally M awards - the official annual awards ceremony of the NRL.

A year later, he won the Rugby League World Golden Boot Award for the best international player of the year.

Tuivasa-Sheck played 20 times for the Kiwis' rugby league side before switching codes to union and signing a deal with New Zealand Rugby.

He made his debut for the All Blacks against Ireland in Wellington in July 2022 at centre and went on to play twice more for the international side.

After returning to rugby league in 2024, Tuivasa-Sheck switched to play for Samoa's national team - the country of his birth.

"Bringing someone like Roger to Wakefield is a huge shift in the landscape of Super League," said Ste Mills, Trinity's director of rugby.

"We believe he is one of the final pieces to our puzzle and someone of his calibre and experience will only help propel the club towards silverware."

Wakefield have made a bright start to the 2026 Super League season, winning three of their opening five league matches.

In their first season back in Super League last year following relegation in 2023, Daryl Powell's side reached the play-offs by finishing sixth, but were beaten by Leigh in the eliminator round.

This season, Powell was able to convince 2025 NRL Grand Final winner Tyson Smoothy to leave Brisbane Broncos, as well as experienced Samoan hooker Jazz Tevaga joining the West Yorkshire outfit from Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

But Tuivasa-Sheck is the biggest name of the three to join Trinity as their new-look squad continues to be internationally restructured.

Powell said: "He's a super high-quality signing for both the Super League competition and of course for Wakefield Trinity and we look forward to welcoming him into our family and helping us achieve our ambitions in the near future."

Wakefield continue their Super League campaign with a trip to York Knights on Friday night [20:00 GMT].

'A bona-fide superstar'

To lure a name such as Tuivasa-Sheck to Super League is an impressive statement of intent for Wakefield Trinity, who just two years ago were playing in the Championship.

RTS is a bona-fide superstar who has been at the top of rugby league during his career - an electrifying runner with all the weapons in his arsenal to break lines and create tries for team-mates, and who remains a key figure for NZ Warriors.

Is he the same player who was at his peak before going to rugby union for two years to fulfil an All Black ambition? No, and his form is not quite as devastating.

He's still a class act but as England found against Samoa in the 2024 Test series when they marshalled him fairly well, previously it might have been tougher to limit the impact of such a dynamic force.

Yet this is still a mega signing particularly in the context that a new National Rugby League franchise in Perth Bears will take part in the 2027 season and would likely have coveted such a player.

The days of NRL stars in Super League were supposed to be over, given the immense financial muscle of the southern hemisphere game, but Trinity have bucked that trend here, albeit he is 32 now.

Tuivasa-Sheck will bring focus, attention and stardust to Wakefield, a signing almost as impressive as Australia icon Wally Lewis in the 1983-84 season.

'The King' pulled big crowds at Belle Vue back then and put money in the coffers despite his wages. Trinity would love to feel that kind of effect from RTS.