Dragons star Mikaele Ravalawa has revealed how he put his hand up to play centre for the Vodafone Fiji Bati after a shattered Sunia Turuva was ruled out of tomorrow’s Pacific Bowl final against PNG Kumuls with a calf injury.
Turuva was in tears after failing a fitness test at the Bati training on Thursday and will again watch from the sidelines as English-raised speedster Jason Qareqare again takes his place, with Ravalawa shifting from wing to centre.
With Maika Sivo and Suliasi Vunivalu on the wings, the 25-year-old Ravalawa made his Test debut at centre against Lebanon in 2019 but it is a position he has never played in the five seasons at St George Illawarra.
After helping Fiji to a 43-16 win against the Kumuls, he will again line up in the unfamiliar position in this weekend’s final before an expected sell-out crowd at Santos National Football Stadium.
He says at the moment Turuva is injured and the team pushed him into the centre position.
Ravalawa says he doesn’t mind playing centre but it is a bit harder defending because you have to defend two players.
He adds it depends on what the attack is doing and fitness wise.
The Bati will take on PNG Kumuls at 5pm tomorrow.
Source: NRL
