Aer Lingus have confirmed a £1 million sponsorship deal over two years with London Irish RFC, a financial package which offers the newly amalgamated club (London Irish, Richmond and London Scottish merged over the summer) a huge fillip prior to the start of the season.
The Aer Lingus investment in the London "super club" is the largest sports sponsorship by an Irish company in Britain. Ireland's national airline succeed Guinness as the title sponsors at the club. The brewing giant will retain sponsorship interests at an ancillary level, along with new kit sponsors Cotton Traders.
A new era for London Irish was manifest in both a new home ground - they have moved from Sunbury to the Stoop, where they will play alongside Harlequins - and in new playing gear: a bottle green shirt with navy blue padding and red piping on the sleeve. There are red and gold hoops across the chest.
The director of rugby, Dick Best, also announced the club's acquisitions for the season, including Australians Brent Cockbain (second row) and Andrew Mower (flanker), Mark Gabbey (second row), Steve Hatley (scrum-half), Rob Hunter (flanker) and Ben Whetstone (centre). Among the notable departures are Malcolm O'Kelly (St Mary's), Welsh prop Peter Rogers (Newport), scrum-half Peter Richards (Harlequins), Kevin Spicer (retired) and Nick Burrows (Stade Francais).
Conor O'Shea will once again captain the club.
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