Palais hopeful of a strong show at Pacific Games in Samoa

BY BRADLEY MARIOR
THE national women’s sevens team (Palais) are hopeful of a strong showing at next month’s Pacific Games in Apia, Samoa.
Taiva Lavai said the Palais, who had a hit-out on the Gold Coast, Australia, last weekend, were looking forward to giving the stronger sides a good run for their money.
“Our preparations have been good. We are prepared mentally and physically.
“The final team have been named and we are hopeful of a good performance,” Lavai said yesterday.
She said they would be playing Nauru, Fiji and the Solomon Islands in Pool A.
Lavai and three of her teammates visited Lae yesterday to participate in a clinic organised by their sponsor International Container Terminal Services Incorporated South Pacific.
Lavai, Fatima Rama, Marie Biyama and Gwen Pokana took students through some training drills. The clinic ends today.
Lavai, who joined the national team in 2015, made her debut in 2016 during the Sydney leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
She captained the team in 2017 during the Hong Kong leg of the series.
In Fiji in 2017, the team qualified for the World Cup the following year in San Francisco, United States, where they defeated Mexico and lost to Fiji, Australia, and Brazil.
When ask about her advice to young athletes, scrumhalf Lavai – from Gulf and Central – said: “If you think you can learn new things, don’t think twice. Just go for it.”