Rugby league’s move into North America has already struck gold, with the Roosters signing USA sevens representative Liz Tafuna to their NRLW squad in a landmark deal.
Tafuna had been heavily linked with a move to the Raiders after she impressed at the combine held just before the NRL’s historic double-header in Las Vegas earlier this year.
But she’ll be heading to the Roosters instead, with the 21-year-old in line to become the first American to play in the NRLW.
Tafuna was born in New Zealand before she moved to Utah with her family and started playing rugby union before she was picked to represent the USA in sevens.
The decision to sign Tafuna could lead other clubs to follow suit, with talent scouts impressed with what they saw at the combine this year, with the event to get even more exposure in 2025 and beyond.
Combine winners Megan Pakulis and MarCaya Bailous have already impressed at the women’s national championships and are expected to land NRLW contracts.
“Liz stood out to me with her speed, footwork, ball skills and toughness and I believe that she has the physical attributes to play our game at the highest level,” Roosters coach John Strange said.
“Most importantly, Liz has demonstrated a huge desire to test herself in the NRLW and I have no doubt that with hard work, she can have a great impact on this year’s NRLW competition, and I expect her to contribute, along with our whole squad, to what we are building here at the Roosters.”
Source Agencies
