Fiji's national rugby team without a sponsor

Fri, May 16 02:20 AM

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) _ It's the eighth-best team in world rugby, arguably one of the most exciting to watch, but weeks away from the first test of the season, Fiji's national rugby team has no sponsor. The World Cup quarterfinalists will play Samoa in their first match in the Pacific Nations Cup on June 7, a week after the expiry of their contract with current major sponsors, Flour Mills of Fiji, the Fiji Times reported Friday.

Fiji Rugby Union chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua told the newspaper the union's marketing executives were talking with two companies but so far there was no concrete outcome. Tavanavanua said in the absence of a major sponsor, the activities of the Fiji team, including its five-match program in the Pacific Nations Cup, would have to be funded from the union's financial reserves.

"It does put some pressure on us and our resources," he said. "If we are not able to agree to a new deal, then we will have to channel money from elsewhere within our budget until the sponsor is on board.

" The Fiji Rugby Union recorded a 334,000 Fijian dollars (US$220,000, 144,000) loss for the 2007 financial year after spending more than F$2 million (US$1.3 million, 860,000) on the team's World Cup preparation.

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