The Altrad Group, which sells and hires out equipment for the building and construction industry, is in talks to become the title sponsor of the Six Nations rugby union tournament, the company’s chairman has confirmed.
Mohed Altrad told UK newspaper The Mail on Sunday that his company is interested in replacing the Royal Bank of Scotland as the naming-rights sponsor of the national team tournament from 2018.
“Altrad Group is in talks,” Altrad said. “The tender process is still out for the 2018 competition so we have maybe two months to come to an agreement if it is going to happen.”
Altrad, who also owns French Top 14 side Montpellier, added: “They are asking for a lot of money but the money is not a problem for us. If we are going to sponsor the Six Nations, we want it to be an arrangement over several years.”
RBS announced in June 2016 that it would be stepping down from its role as Six Nations title sponsor following the conclusion of this year’s event, which ran from February 4 to March 18. RBS had held rights to the tournament since 2003.
The Mail on Sunday reported that Six Nations chief executive John Feehan had initially been seeking a £100m (€113m/$131m), six-year deal with a new sponsor, although this figure is said to have been amended to factor in market conditions linked to the UK’s decision to leave the European Union.
In March, Altrad Group was named as the first shirt sponsor of the French national team under a short-term deal that is due to expire later this month.
The Six Nations is contested by England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. England is the defending champion.