BREAKING: Star’s future at club comes to an early end due to COVID

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck will be leaving the New Zealand Warriors early due to COVID-19 travel regulations.

The Warriors captain and fullback rushed home in order to return to his native nation before the travel bubble was closed.

But, with Tuivasa-Sheck’s career at the Warriors already ending at the closure of the 2021 NRL season, the New Zealand government have sped up his exit with the rest of the Warriors players uncertain on when they too can return home.

The 28-year-old was feeling emotional when he announced the decision to rest of his teammates.

“It was tough holding it all back,” Tuivasa-Sheck told NRL.com.

“I’m pretty sure they were quite disappointed and I although they’re supportive that I get to chase a new challenge and dream of mine, it was tough to hold back the tears.

“It was a really tough decision. I was trying to get my family back over here to Australia to be locked down here for eight weeks (to finish the season).

“But unfortunately I wasn’t too sure when we were going to return home and that’s when it became an issue.

“It’s a sad way to end my time at the club, especially when my last game was with concussion and not being able to play in front of all our fans back at Mt Smart.

“It is a sad way to (end) but I’m just grateful to have the club supporting me along the way.”

Tuivasa-Sheck will be heading to the Auckland Blues in the 15-a-side code in the hope of earning an All Blacks call-up.