The Fiji Rugby Union has addressed the issue surrounding the FIJI Water Flying Fijians’ jersey numbers coming off during the final of the Pacific Nations Cup.
The union clarified that the problem was attributed to poor workmanship by a local company in Salt Lake City, rather than reflecting the quality of the jerseys provided by their official kit provider, Umbro.
In a recent statement by FRU, they acknowledged the public interest in this matter and recognised the passion exhibited by Fiji supporters in the game.
Emphasising the importance of considering all facts before making conclusions, the Union explained that immediately after the match, Fiji Rugby informed World Rugby about the issue, which was later confirmed by team management.
Subsequent investigations revealed that the issue with the jersey numbers was a result of the work done by a local company in Salt Lake City and was unrelated to the quality of the jerseys supplied by Umbro.
Fiji Rugby acting CEO Koli Sewabu says national team jerseys are sent without numbers, as player selections, positions and sizes are only finalised a few days before game day.
“This is standard practice for touring international teams. Once the team is confirmed, managers proceed with numbering locally.
“We thank our fans for their continued support and encourage everyone to seek clarity and context before forming opinions.”
FRU aim to maintain integrity and ensure that such instances are properly addressed and resolved in the future.
