Latest news with #WomanofSteel
India.com
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- India.com
Meet Rahul Ravindran, Samantha Ruth Prabhu's best friend, who worked with Alia Bhatt, Mahesh Babu, won a National Film Award
Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been under the limelight ever since her divorce with Naga Chaitanya happened. While the actress has avoided saying anything related to the matter in public, fans have always speculated that it is extremely tough for her to cope with the divorce. Today, we will talk about a person in Samantha's life who has always supported her in her good and bad times. Not just that, the actress considers him as a 'brother' and even a best friend. The person with whom Samantha shares a close bond is filmmaker and actor Rahul Ravindran. Rahul and Samantha's relationship has grown over more than ten years. Recently, in an interview, the actress opened up about her bond with Rahul and the unwavering support he has offered her during the tough times, such as her diagnosis with myositis, an autoimmune condition. Talking about the bond she shares with Rahul, Samantha said that he always took care of her selflessly. Samantha shared that their connection is hard to label. 'Is he like a brother? A dear friend? Or family? I honestly don't know how to describe it,' the actress said. Their bond, which started during the shooting of the Tamil romantic film Moscowin Kavery in 2010, has grown stronger over the years. Recently, Samantha opened up about it. Rahul gifted Samantha a plaque with a poem engraved on it and its title is Woman of Steel. The verse read, 'What doesn't defeat you, makes you stronger than ever… and stronger forever.' Samantha revealed that throughout her journey Rahul has not just been a friend but an active support for her. Coming to Rahul's work front, the actor is working on his upcoming film The Girlfriend, featuring Rashmika Mandanna in the lead role. On the other hand, he is stepping into production with his upcoming horror-comedy Subham.
Telegraph
26-02-2025
- Sport
- Telegraph
Georgie Dagger: ‘Your career isn't done when you become a mum – I'm Woman of Steel'
When Georgie Dagger was crowned rugby league's Woman of Steel last October, it topped what she calls the 'best year of my life'. During 2024, she made her England debut, helped York Valkyrie to the Women's Super League title and married her long-term partner Will Dagger, the York Knights player. But the significance of claiming the game's highest individual prize went deeper because Dagger, nee Hetherington, became the first mother to win Woman of Steel, having given birth to son Bobby in 2020. Inspiring @YorkValkyrie to #GrandFinal glory 🏆 2024 Woman of Steel, Georgie Hetherington 🙌 #SuperLeague — Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) October 9, 2024 Professional sportswomen returning to the highest level after giving birth is becoming more common but it is not without its challenges. Dagger, a full-back or hooker, says: 'Nobody in women's rugby league really talks about taking time out to have children and how difficult it is to get back playing. I believe it puts so many girls off having kids young because they think, 'Your career's done once you've become a mum'. 'More than anything, I wanted to prove to all the young players – and even girls who have yet to pick up a rugby ball – that you absolutely can do it. Yes, it takes hard work and sacrifice, but you should never feel you have to prioritise one over the other. The fact I'm a mum and a rugby player – and the Woman of Steel – makes me really proud.' Dagger hails from Castleford, a former coal-mining town in West Yorkshire where rugby league dominates. It was while playing for amateur club Castleford Panthers that she met her future husband. 'Bobby was the best surprise ever' 'Will played for the boys' team and me for the girls, so we always knew who each other were. But we went to different high schools,' says the 27-year-old. 'We then went to the same college and that's where things took a romantic turn. He came around to my house one day and never really left. It was all very natural.' Bobby, who was born in February 2020 via an emergency aesarean, was not planned. Dagger explains: 'I was out injured at the time with a broken arm and my reaction to the anaesthetic might have cancelled out the Pill. So, Bobby really was a surprise, but the best surprise ever. 'I thought, 'How am I ever going to get back playing rugby with a child?'. It was quite daunting but luckily it was during lockdown, so I used that period to get back fit in my own time. 'It's not been easy, though, and myself and some of the other mums at York have picked up long-term injuries. You wonder if it's because your body goes through so much of a change after giving birth. Getting back playing is a massive challenge.' Alongside her rugby, Dagger works as a teaching assistant at Bobby's school in Pontefract. Will plays his rugby part-time for York's men's team, having starred in Super League for Warrington Wolves and Hull Kingston Rovers. He also serves on York Valkyrie's back-room staff under head coach Lindsay Anfield, whom Georgie credits as a major influence on her career. 'It's fair to say Will and I had a few arguments in the early days of him coaching us,' she says. 'But now the dynamic is much better and all we do is talk about rugby! I'm so grateful to have such an understanding partner because he's a player himself. Will's support was pivotal in all my success last year and Lindsay's been brilliant for me over a long period.' 'Amazing to be involved' Dagger missed England's November international against Wales at Headingley, having made her international debut away in France last June, because it clashed with her wedding. But she is in the squad to face Australia as part of a quadruple-header in Las Vegas on March 1, which also features two NRL men's fixtures and a men's Super League game. 'It would be amazing to be involved,' says Dagger, who has not ruled out following other leading players to the NRLW in Australia one day. 'If I was approached, I probably would go because it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Right now, though, I couldn't be happier because I have everything here with my job, family and rugby career. I wanted Will and I to be a power couple and successful in our rugby careers. I honestly think we've achieved that.'
