Canberra Raiders NRL Women’s Coach, Darrin Borthwick has spoken highly of PNG Orchids utility Ua Ravu, after her signing with the club, stating that she has a very special talent and has high hopes that she will be a great team player in the Raiders arsenal in their inaugural season.
Borthwick stated that when he first arrived in Canberra, he was out in the regional areas such as Griffith and Wagga to run some clinics, there was talk within and around the club of a Papua New Guinean girl in the ranks who returned from the WC.
He added that he was really surprised to see Ua at the clinic.
“I was really surprised to see Ua and she came across and introduced herself and she really didn’t need to say much after that, I watched her in the clinic in the way she moved and some of the stuff that she did, you know part of my criteria when I select players, is what they’re like of the field and Ua’s a very delightful girl and happens to be a very good footballer.”
Borthwick told PNG HAUSBUNG that the club is very privileged to have her at the club, adding that she is a very good talent after a stunning performance in last year’s Women’s Rugby League World Cup.
“She’s a very special talent and she did some great things over at the world cup for PNG and I got no doubt that she’ll do the same thing for us at the Raiders.”
Borthwick stated that he had an association with Kato Ottio when he spent some time at the Mounties and PNG holds a very soft spot in his heart. Right now, the club is slowly putting the team together with the girls still making their way to the Australian capital.
Coach Borthwick is confident they will field a strong team come July.