Rhino Rugby has extended its partnership with the Guinness PRO12 for an additional four years, bringing it up to 2019.
The brand will be supplying the official match ball and officials’ apparel and is also extending its sponsorship of the Rhino Golden Boot Award over the same period.
The Rhino Golden Boot Award has in recent seasons been won by Jonathan Sexton and Ian Madigan of Leinster and JJ Hanrahan of Munster. Sexton achieved a remarkable 90% success rate in the 2011-12 competition, and this year Dan Biggar of the Ospreys current leads the table with 42 successful kicks out of 45.
That 93.3% success rate is the best seasonal kicking rate there’s ever been for a regular kicker in any major professional league.
“The Guinness PRO12 continues to go from strength to strength both on and off the pitch,” said John Feehan, CEO of the Guinness PRO12 and RBS 6 Nations.
“We have year on year growth in attendances, TV audiences and digital media. We are delighted that Rhino Rugby have renewed their valued sponsorship of the tournament, and look forward to seeing if Dan Biggar can keep up his exceptional strike rate with boot and Rhino ball.”
Commenting on the sponsorship renewal, Andrew Moss, Chairman of Rhino Rugby said
“Rhino sees this deal as a cornerstone of its strategy in the rugby ball market and as a rugby brand generally,” added company Chairman Andrew Moss.
“The competition continues to make great strides and with a strong sponsor like Guinness and the games now going out also on Sky Sports it can only go from strength to strength.”
Rhino Rugby is part owned by former England Captain and Manager Martin Johnson following a management buy in in 2006.
Rhino was Official Ball Supplier to the British & Irish Lions tours to South Africa in 2009 and Australia in 2013, and became a Sponsor and Official Supplier of match balls and apparel to the PRO12, now sponsored by Guinness, in 2011.
