THE Lilian Amazon Women Rugby Club is expecting a thrilling contest when it faces Nawaka Women in the TISA Insurance Nadi Rugby Union Club Game Women’s final at Prince Charles Park today.
Lilian Amazon patron and founder Neville Koop said both teams were strong contenders and his side was looking forward to the final of the club rugby season.
“It’s going to be a great game, I think. Two very strong sides,” Koop said.
The Lilian Amazons are the defending champions and have welcomed the growth of women’s rugby in the West.
Koop acknowledged the Nadi Rugby Union for its efforts in developing the women’s competition, saying the quality and number of teams had improved significantly from last year.
“We are really happy to be a part of this program again this year. We are the defending champions, but certainly from last year we’ve seen significant improvement in the quality and quantity of teams involved,” he said.
Koop said the club’s players had been training hard and were well prepared for the 80-minute final.
He also revealed that several players from the Raluve programme had joined the women’s team this year, with the club actively involving them in its training programme ahead of the upcoming rugby sevens season.
“We are constantly looking for new young women. It’s always important for us to look for new talent,” he said.
Koop urged the players to remain focused on their training and follow the match plan, particularly if the opening stages of the game did not go according to plan.
“Follow the match plan and don’t give up. Eighty minutes is a long time, but the girls have been prepared to play for 80 minutes if necessary,” he said.
He also called on supporters to attend the final and witness the progress of women’s rugby in Nadi.
“I hope everybody comes down and sees what a great women’s rugby programme we now have in Nadi. Arguably, I would say the strongest in Fiji,” Koop said.
The final between the two teams will kick-off at 2pm.
