TISA Insurance Sponsors Two Full Kit Sets for Suva Rugby Referees Ahead of 50th Marist 7s at HFC Bank Stadium

The Suva Rugby Referees Association will take to the HFC Bank Stadium in freshly branded kits for the 50th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s after an official handover of uniforms from TISA Insurance in Suva yesterday.

TISA Insurance has provided the association with two full sets of match-day gear — including jerseys, muscle vests and socks — a sponsorship Suva Referees president Josaia Vakatavitavi said comes at a welcome time. “We are very humbled and quite fortunate that TISA Insurance, through its CEO David Chan, has come on board to sponsor the Suva Rugby Referees Association with two sets of uniforms,” Vakatavitavi said, adding the new apparel will be a “major morale booster” for officials who he said had been without proper uniforms for a long period.

The handover — staged ahead of one of the country’s premier rugby sevens events — underlines efforts to raise the profile and presentation of match officials as the Marist 7s celebrates a half-century milestone. Vakatavitavi said the association was proud to mark the tournament’s 50th edition by stepping onto the field in the new kits, which will help referees “look smart and presentable on the field.”

TISA Insurance chief executive David Chan described the sponsorship as recognition of the referees’ central role in the sport. “Referees are custodians of rugby,” Chan said. “We hope that when you wear these jerseys, you feel supported — not just by your association, but by TISA Insurance as well.” The company supplied two full sets to ensure replacements and rotation across the multi-day fixture list.

The timing of the sponsorship is notable amid wider conversations about developing refereeing standards and pathways in Fiji. Local rugby figures have recently called for greater investment in officials, including appeals for Fijian referees to be given opportunities at higher levels of competition, a move proponents say would strengthen officiating and benefit the game nationally.

The Marist 7s kicks off tomorrow and runs through Saturday at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva. Referees from the Suva association will debut the new uniforms from the tournament’s opening whistle, carrying the visibility of the sponsorship across what organisers expect will be a high-profile weekend of sevens rugby.