The Lailanie Burnes-captained Nadi Blazers women’s rugby 7’s team received a timely boost from their sponsors, Radisson Blu Resort, at Port Denarau in Nadi yesterday.

The Nadi-based club is looking forward to make their debut in the Central Coast 7’s tournament in Australia this weekend.

Radisson Blu director marketing Nicole Poehler said it was part of the social commitment to be associated with women sporting teams in the community.

“At Radisson we are always trying to go big and support the community especially through sports,” she said.

“The team looks promising and this is not the first time we have aligned ourselves with the Blazers. This is our way and there is no other better way to show our support.”

Burnes thanked the resort for the support in supplying their uniforms.

“The club is thankful to Radisson Blu, Nadi Rugby Union and The Rhum Ba,” she said.

“This will be our first time to be playing Australia’s biggest 7s tournament. We have a firm belief in discipline, good sportsmanship and developing our players both on and off the field to enable them to be respectable, upstanding members of the community.”

The Blazers are drawn alongside Aussie Pearls, NZ Wasp and Hunter’s in Pool C.

Since 2013 the team has been well represented in the first ever, East-West tournament in Rakiraki, 2014 Fiji Bitter Marist 7s, Nawaka 7s, Crest Na Iri Women’s trophy at the 2014 Bayleys Coral Coast 7s, including the Women’s International 7s tournament in New Caledonia.

The team play NZ Wasps on Saturday, 2pm.

Yamacia have what it takes

Meanwhile, Yamacia rugby team president David Dakuitoga said they were not going to make up the numbers or just to go and compete.

“We are there to battle out and to see who will come out in that pool of death, as they say,” he said.

The side banks on the services of Vodafone 7’s squad members including Donasio Ratubuli, Amenoni Nasilasila, Sevuloni Tabu and Kelemedi Waqa.

“We have Donasio Ratubuli, who just came back from France, we have Nasilasila who just joined us in the couple of games that we have played before and Sevuloni Tabu and Kelemedi Waqa who are all in Ben Ryan’s squad for Rio.

“ I think the boys have got what it takes to go through the pool games and we are going to go step by step from our first game and see from there.”

The side departed yesterday.

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