Japanese sportswear company Asics has locked down an extension with a second major rugby union body in the space of a week by striking a new six-year contract with Rugby Australia.
Having initially joined forces in 2014, Asics will continue to serve as the Official Apparel and Footwear Supplier of Australia’s national teams through to the end of 2025.
The long-term deal will see Australia wear Asics not only at next year’s Rugby World Cup in Japan, but also for the 2023 tournament in France and right through until the 2025 British & Irish Lions tour of the country.
The Australian women’s and men’s sevens teams will wear Asics kit for their Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games campaign, while the deal also includes a potential home-soil Women’s Rugby World Cup campaign in 2023, with Rugby Australia currently bidding for the hosting rights.
Asics will also continue to kit out the Australian Under-20s, Australian schools and Under-18s teams.
Rugby Australia chief executive Raelene Castle said: “Through this partnership extension Asics has given a strong vote of confidence in Australian rugby by committing for the long haul as we look forward to a number of exciting major tournaments and tours over the coming years.”
Last week, South Africa Rugby signed a five-year extension with Asics. Under the deal, which will run until 2024, Asics will kit out the Springboks for the British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa in 2021, and the Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2023.