Sport for Business’ Coverage of Leadership in our Daily News Digest is supported by IRFU and GAA/GPA Official Partner PwC
A visitor from overseas to the National Convention Centre could be forgiven for thinking that Ireland’s sporting success was based on our production of actual physical giants. On one side he or she would see the enormous Irish jersey pictured below hanging in the atrium of the offices of PwC. On another day he might look right and see a similar size shirt hanging from the front of the AIG offices in Dublin GAA blue.
On what promises to be the biggest weekend of sport in Irish history, arguably the most important single event promises to be that taking place not in Lyon, Croke Park, South Africa or the Curragh but in Manchester when the Irish U20 Rugby team bids to lay down a marker as the next ‘Golden Generation’ in the first ever World Cup Final we have competed for at such a senior level.
The team will run out against England having beaten New Zealand and reigning Grand Slam Champions Wales along the way. It is a team that can change the narrative of Irish Rugby by showcasing homegrown talent at a time when the fears for the sport revolve around the bigger budgets that are available at club level in France and England.
But mostly it is about the thrill of sport at the highest level and seeing Ireland competing not near but at the very top.
Sport for Business caught up with PwC Managing Partner Feargal O’Rourke yesterday to look at how his business, as sponsor of the team and underage rugby has made the most of the success over the past weeks and what it means to be a sponsor of the future of Irish Rugby.
Sport for Business: Feargal, the relationship between PwC and Irish Rugby stretches back a number of years, but this is perhaps the biggest ever return you could have hoped for. What have the past few weeks been like as the team advanced?
Feargal O’Rourke: “The internal and external engagement has been excellent, driven by our marketing and sponsorship team.”
“This year we expanded our sponsorship with the IRFU to include the “Elite Player Pathway Programme”, a fantastic new programme we will be working with the IRFU on over the coming months.”
“This prompted us to look at all elements of our support, including the sponsorship activation.”
“Over the past number of months we considered the best way to engage fans and our people within the firm. We wanted to really show the team how much support there was for them in PwC.”
“We looked across all of our channels and considered where best to focus our efforts. The starting point was the development of a “brand” to support the team. These are some of the best and brightest young players in country and we wanted to reflect that.”
“Our hashtag #futureisgreen, perfectly captured the optimism of the players, the coaching team and the wider good will towards them. We have so many dynamic young people working within the firm that it was a great fit and we wanted our people to be at the heart of this.”
SfB: How did this work in practical terms?
FO’R: “We ran competitions and giveaways internally including match night goodie bags for all our offices around the country, a competition for the best good luck tweets from our people to the team, predict the score competitions and finally a competition we ran to send two of our people over to the New Zealand game – and what a game to get to!”
“We also branded our Spencer Dock offices with images, videos and an enormous U-20 jersey and the excitement around the office is palpable.”
“The support of the IRFU for these efforts was phenomenal and when I saw the Taoiseach tweeting our hashtag, #futureisgreen, after the semi-final win, I knew we were getting to a new level.”
Fantastic performance from the @IrishRugby U20’s – making history in style as they march onto the final #FutureIsGreen – well done lads.
— Enda Kenny (@EndaKennyTD) June 20, 2016
SfB: What has been the positive impact that you have seen around the partnership?
FO’R: “As the team has advanced through the tournament, the interest level has clearly ratcheted up. Almost every client I’ve met over the last couple of weeks has mentioned the team and our sponsorship.”
“The coverage in all forms of media in any season reflects how well the team is doing and given we’re in the unchartered territory now of a first World Cup Final, the interest and coverage is growing every day.”
“There is a real feel good factor associated with the great run the team are on and this sense of positivity is palpable around the office. Beating the baby All Blacks was seismic and that really opened peoples eyes to just how good this team is.”
“The first year we sponsored the U20s was 2007 and that team, which won the Grand Slam, produced Cian Healy, Sean O’Brien, Tommy O’Donnell, Ian Keatley, Keith Earls, Felix Jones, Darren Cave and Luke Fitzgerald. I think this team could produce even more senior internationals.”
SfB: What was the original motivation for becoming involved with sport and rugby in particular at this level?
FO’R: “The association with the IRFU has been really positive for the Firm and I hope vice-versa. We sponsor the Irish U20s, Youths and Schoolboy teams.”
“Every year we go and recruit up to 300 graduates and having a strong brand in the 3rd level market is key to our efforts.”
“The IRFU sponsorship contributes to this, as their values and ours overlap in many areas – excellence, teamwork and being the best you can be and our people see this.”
“In addition, a lot of our target market watch rugby at all levels and this further highlights our brand in this area.”
SfB: And what are your hopes for Saturday?
“I’m clearly hoping that Nigel Carolan and the guys win on Saturday and I’m looking forward to being there at the game.”
“But I hope the players get a chance to enjoy and savour the occasion. It’s a World Cup Final and they are somewhere where no U20 team has ever gone before.”
“If they can deliver on their potential for the fifth time in this tournament, they can be World Champions. Even saying it sounds great. I can’t wait for 7 O’Clock on Saturday.”
Live coverage of Ireland v England in the the U20 Rugby World Cup Final from the AJ Bell Stadium in Salford will be broadcast on TG4 from 1830 on Saturday evening, presented by Máire Treasa Ní Dhubhghaill with commentary from Brian Tyers. It will also be shown on Sky Sports 3 in HD from 1845. The match kicks off at 1900.
