THE Samurai Barracudas 7s team left the country yesterday to play in the Amsterdam 7s in the Netherlands.

The team was farewelled by close friends and family at a church service on Sunday at the Assemblies of God Neighbourhood Brothers Church in Sawani, Naitasiri.

Coach Sailosi Naiteqe (Sr) said he was grateful for the support of players’ families.

He said the Amsterdam 7s was one of the biggest semi-professional tournaments in Europe.

“A lot of these players were not affiliated to any clubs, so I roped them in to compete and expose their talents,” he said.

“We are grateful that their families have supported the move because they know that you don’t have to be a national representative to travel overseas.”

The team comprised mostly of first-time overseas travellers and will be led by veteran 7s speedster, Nasoni Roko.

The team had participated in some local 7s tournaments including the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s.

The Netherlands tournament is scheduled for May 28-29 at the Amsterdam National Rugby Stadium.