RED Rock coach Lote Rasiga has back up players to fill the void left by three senior players for the Uprising Fiji sevens tournament.
Jasa Veremalua, Vucago Bainitabua and Viliame Navanua have joined the Fiji 7s 21-member training squad and will feature for the Digicel Fiji Barbarians and FMF Fiji Warriors teams respectively in the tournament next week.
"There are always back up players in the team for situations like this. We have two teams from where we select the best players to take part in major tournaments like the Uprising 7s," Rasiga said.
The Qauia-based club is pooled with defending champions Wardens, Tokatoka Barbarians and Yamacia.
Rasiga said all teams would provide an equal threat to them and they would not take any teams lightly in this tournament. He said all pools were tough and it would be exciting to see who survives the battle in the opening day on Friday at Churchill Park in Lautoka.
"There is no easy team in this tournament. All teams come prepared to play to that standard and we are doing the same to ensure we are able to match them," he said.
"Like in other tournaments, we will give our 100 per cent in Uprising 7s to make the finals."
Meanwhile, Rasiga added the inclusion of 'shadow' national teams will raise the competition level in the two-day tournament.
Fiji Barbarians, Fiji Warriors, New Zealand Emerging 7s, Samoa, Aussie Thunderbolts and Tonga are using the Uprising 7s to prepare for the Wellington 7s to be held on February 1 and 2.
"It's good to have them in this tournament as their presence will boost the morale of the local teams and motivate them to compete to their level," Rasiga said.
"The Uprising 7s is turning out to be one of the top tournaments in the country and it is surely a level up from the tournaments that were held last year."
Red Rock's first game is against Tokatoka Babas.