UAE Rugby, the governing body of the sport in the country, has renewed its association with banking group HSBC and has also agreed a partnership with British multi-purpose vehicle manufacturer Land Rover.
HSBC has agreed a three-year extension of its deal with the body, while Land Rover has signed a multi-year partnership.
HSBC and Land Rover have been named co-principal partners of UAE Rugby’s Player Pathway Program, a development initiative designed to encourage Emirati schoolchildren to participate in rugby from a young age.
UAE Rugby hopes the support of the two companies will allow for the expansion of the PPP, which has already reached over 6,800 Emirati children since its launch in 2012.
Qais Al Dhalail, secretary general at UAE Rugby, said: “We are extremely excited that Land Rover have chosen to align with UAE Rugby’s Emirati grassroots program, as their combined support with HSBC allows us to grow the program in existing Emirates and take the program into the Northern Emirates and work toward our 2017 goal of 9,000 Emirati children actively playing rugby at school level, and subsequently increase the number of Emirati players moving through our development levels.”
Land Rover and HSBC are major sponsors of rugby union, with both having numerous partnerships with clubs, national associations and tournaments worldwide.