Irish club rugby receives sponsorship boost

Rugby:The All Ireland League has a new sponsor in the form of Ulster Bank after the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) announced several new initiatives involving the bank at the Aviva Stadium today.

Ulster Bank, whose parent company, Royal Bank of Scotland, sponsor the Six Nations, has become the “Official Community Rugby Partner” to the IRFU.

The new deal means Ulster Bank will become title sponsor for the All Ireland League until 2014 and takes over from AIB, who were long-standing sponsors of the domestic game up until last season. It is understood the deal is worth a six figure sum per season for the next three years.

Ulster Bank will also sponsor the Irish Club International team, while a new Ulster Bank RugbyForce initiative was introduced where selected clubs will receive support to help renovate their facilities.

The Irish Club scene allows non-professional rugby players to compete against their counterparts in England and Scotland and an Ireland XV will play two matches against a Scotland Clubs team and an England Counties XV during the Six Nations.

Under the RugbyForce proposal four clubs will each secure €5,000 in “goods and resources to use toward their planned club development during the Ulster Bank RugbyForce weekend”. The plan is to encourage supporters, friends and families to give something back to their local club by volunteering to undertake renovations to clubhouses and grounds around the country.

“This is an exciting new partnership for Irish rugby which will provide much needed support to all clubs and to the wonderful volunteer effort that goes into our community game,” said Caleb Powell, IRFU president. “The RugbyForce programme is further development of this effort and a superb way to help further incentivise the passionate work that these rugby people around Ireland already give to their clubs.

“I would like to thank Ulster Bank for their decision to pledge their support to Irish rugby. I warmly welcome the bank further into our rugby family and I look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership over the next three years.”