Blues coach Leon MacDonald has cleared up Roger Tuivasa-Sheck's non-selection to face Fijian Drua on Saturday, despite his availability after recovering from a broken hand.
Tuivasa-Sheck, 29, hasn't played for the Blues since mid-March, when he suffered the hand injury in his side's 34-28 loss to the Crusaders at Eden Park.
In the weeks since then, though, the midfielder has confirmed his future with a return to rugby league and the NRL, penning a three-year contract with NZ Warriors from 2024.
The move leaves a ticking clock on Tuivasa-Sheck's time in the 15-a-side game, with the ultimate goal still being a spot in the All Blacks' plans for the Rugby World Cup in France at the end of this year.
Super Rugby will be Tuivasa-Sheck's foremost avenue to impress Ian Foster and selectors, with the All Blacks coach saying the door is by no means shut on his World Cup aspirations either.
However, Tuivasa-Sheck will have to wait at least a week, not named among the Blues' 23-man squad to face Fijian Drua in Lautoka on Saturday.
Following last week's victory over the Waratahs, coach Leon MacDonald confirmed Tuivasa-Sheck would be available for the trip to Fiji.
But, he explains Tuivasa-Sheck will be eased back into contention for the Blues, as they push towards the pointy end of the Super Rugby Pacific season.
"He'll get a go again soon," said MacDonald. "We just felt [for him] to go over into the heat in Fiji - 34 degrees I think it's going to be - after five weeks off, it's a big ask.
"The team we've played in recent weeks are in good form. There's good cohesion there. They're match fit and hardened.
"We just felt we needed to make sure we took guys [who are] game ready, and able to last the distance.
"It was an unfortunate selection for him."
Instead, Harry Plummer will wear the No.12 jersey on Saturday, as the Blues seek a third straight victory.
Join Newshub for live updates of the Blues v Fijian Drua from 2pm Saturday
