Following a successful NRL combine on the weekend before the two opening games in Las Vegas, an athlete from America is set to sign with an Australian rugby league club.
The Canberra Raiders are set to become the first rugby league team to sign a United States athlete from the combine, perย News Corp.
The publication reports that the club are currently in talks with Samoan powerhouse Liz Tafuna to sign her to the NRLW team - Canberra Raiders NRLW - after impressing throughout the combine.
Compared to Millie Boyle, it is understood that she made an impression on the club's chief executive Don Furner and will join on a development contract for the upcoming season.
โI spoke to her and said I would love to have you and she said yes, I'd be keen,โ Furner toldย News Corp
โOther clubs might be interested in her, but we would love to get her.
โWith Liz, I saw a lovely young girl, I had previously watched her highlights and sent them to our coach Darrin Borthwick and after seeing her today, we would love to offer her an opportunity if she wants to come.
โWe have a spot available on our female roster and I will follow up with Liz when we get back to Australia. If she is keen to come to Australia, I would love to sign her with the support of our coach.
โWe will now continue talks with her. As a club, Canberra would love to sign the first American female player.โ
Lions roaring here @NAI_7s ๐ฆ@UtahLionsRugby Malia Issacs & Liz Tafuna talk about great day 1๏ธโฃ & what theyโll have to do to beat Atlantis if they see them again tomorrow โ
๐บWATCH Semi Finals tomorrow @FloRugby #NAI7s #NAHS7s #Rugby7sMagazine #Downtothelastsecond #7sLife pic.twitter.com/DjXxTP8AjN
— RUGBY 7s MAGAZINE (@Rugby7sMagazine) August 2, 2019
Tafuna is one of 25 male and 25 female athletes who attended the NRL combine in the hope of gaining an NRL contract. Officials from every club attend the event as they look to find the next rugby league superstar from abroad.
Despite playing overseas in the United States, surprisingly she already has a connection to the Green Machine due to previously playing with Mackenzie Wiki - the daughter of Ruben Wiki who is on the NRLW team's roster.
โI was amazed at how many turned up. There were some great athletes there,โ Furner added.
โShe actually knows one of our players, Mackenzie Wiki, who is the daughter of Ruben Wiki.
"Mackenzie has played with Liz, who is of Samoan heritage, she is an ex-Sevens player and Mackenzie gave her the thumbs up as a player.
โThe conditions today were terrible. It was blowing a gale, so for these American athletes to trial in those conditions shows you how keen they are.
โThere were a couple of guys today who were amazing athletes. We don't have a spot on our roster for a male, but there's certainly some talent worth looking at for other clubs.
โLiz caught my eye with her performance. She is big, strong and fast, she has good skills, she knows how to catch and she has good game awareness having played sevens rugby.
โShe told me she has been watching NRLW, so she is familiar with our game and I would love for it to work out.
โI think everyone in Canberra would get behind her because she would be a fantastic story.โ
