By Brian Lowe, Date: 22/3/18 (Photo Credit Toronto Wolfpack)
In the second part of our two-part series, we get the lowdown from Toronto Wolfpack player Ryan Burroughs on his move to English League 1 team London Skolars.
The American and his Wolfpack teammate Quinn Ngawati have been transferred to the Skolars for the remainder of the 2018 season.
The Toronto club says it will be an ideal environment for both players to develop their game, while Skolars head coach Jermaine Coleman says the move will add a lot to his team and the players themselves.
And he feels they will fit in well with the club’s ethos in developing young talent.
“Quinn and Ryan are a magnificent addition to our playing roster and are two of the most coveted players of their respective age,” said Coleman.
Burroughs says he’s upbeat about the prospect of playing with the London-based team.
“I’m extremely excited to be a part of the Skolars, they’ve got a great base and I’m just hoping I can come in and do my part to help the team in any way I can,” he said.
As is the case with the Canadian Ngawati, Burroughs sees the move to the Skolars as a good opportunity to develop and improve various aspects of his game.
“The small ins and outs hopefully,” he said. “Things you can’t really learn at training.
“Sometimes you have to improvise on the field and get that gameplay knowledge, obviously the only way to get that is to play more games and study the film.”
The winger has been rehabbing since picking up a leg injury in the USA Hawks’ final game at the Rugby League World Cup against Papua New Guinea, so the move to London comes at a good time for him as he looks to replicate and then surpass the standards he set for himself last year.
Burroughs is confident he can do that and also keep his spot on the American national team.
“I don’t believe it will have too much of an impact.
“The last time I played for my country I ended up having to get surgery, so they know what I’ve had to go through and understand that this is a part of the process to make me a better player.”
Originally from the US state of Virginia, Burroughs plans to split his time between Manchester and London and is relishing the chance to experience London up close and personal.
“I’m ecstatic to be headed to one of the most historic cities not only in England but in the world,” he continued. “Never in my life did I think I’d visit, let alone live here.”
As for the Skolars’ prospects this season, Burroughs believes they have every chance of success.
“I expect that we will finish in the top eight. Hopefully be able to play for that promotion spot, but there are plenty of tough teams in League 1 like Bradford, York, Workington and such.
“It will be fun and I look forward to the challenges ahead.”
He says his goals are to get better as a player, work on the little things and to progress in every aspect of his game.
“I not only want to prove to the people who doubt North Americans can play this game, but I want to prove it to myself that I can compete with these guys and do it at a high level.”
