Dual Olympic gold medallist Jerry Tuwai and Fiji men’s 7s coach Ben Gollings following their meeting with Fiji Rugby Board of Trustees; have confirmed that they share a positive and amicable relationship with no outstanding issues between them.
The Board of Trustees had to intervene after a war of words erupted between the pair following Gollings’ response to an interview in Sigatoka where he stated that Tuwai had to play in local tournaments to prove his worth.
Immediately after, Tuwai took to social media and posted his side of the story and questioned if representing the country over a decade was not enough to prove his worth and went on to state that he will always support the team.
Both Tuwai and Gollings have now come forward to address any misconceptions and reaffirm their mutual respect for each-other, ensuring the broader rugby community that there is no animosity or unresolved matters between them.
Tuwai, known for his exceptional skills and contributions to the sport, stated, “I want to make it clear that Ben and I have always had a great understanding and respect for each other. We’ve shared memorable moments in the rugby world, and any speculation suggesting otherwise is unfounded. We’re on good terms and I have the utmost respect for Ben Gollings as the Head Coach for the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team.”
“I am enjoying my time sharing my technical expertise with the Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s team and take pride in assisting the girls and coach Fuli with their 2024 season,” added Tuwai.
Gollings echoed Tuwai’s sentiments. “I will always standby what I’ve always thought of Jerry, a world class player and I respect him fully for that and there are no issues between us.”
“We will always respect him, and we will always support him in his endeavors of what happens in life after rugby.”
Their joint statement aims to clear up any misunderstandings and emphasizes the positive relationship that exists between these two rugby icons as both parties agree that there is a need to fostering positive relations and unity within the rugby community and hope that their clarification will put an end to any speculation regarding their relationship.
