Rugby Union

The creation of a new European club rugby tournament and an increase in competition for qualification to the tournament from Pro12 clubs were driving factors behind an increase in the value of title sponsorship rights for rugby union’s Pro12 league.

Construction services provider Buildcorp has signed up as the title sponsor of the new National Rugby Championship in Australia.

Irish beer brand Guinness has been unveiled as the new title sponsor of the Pro12 European club rugby union tournament.

English Premiership rugby union team Bath has signed a two year title sponsorship with locally based vacuum cleaner manufacturer Dyson.

Agricultural equipment manufacturer Massey Ferguson has extended its commercial partnership with Australian Super Rugby franchise Melbourne Rebels for another two seasons.

Pro 12 rugby union team Connacht has sealed a four-year deal to make Irish-owned sports retailer Life Style Sports its new title sponsor.

London-based tailor TM Lewin has reached a deal to become the official formalwear supplier to the Welsh Rugby Union through to March 2018.

Insurance company Asteron Life has expanded its partnership with the Australian Rugby Union to include support of a new community coaching programme.

Global logistics company DHL has announced a sponsorship deal with the Rugby Canada governing body ahead of the national team’s participation in the 2015 World Cup.

English Premiership rugby union club Harlequins has agreed a three-year kit partnership, from 2014-15 to 2016-17, with German sportswear company Adidas.

English Premiership rugby union club Harlequins has announced a five-year deal, from 2014-15 to 2018-19, under which logistics company DHL will become its new main sponsor.

Belfast-based Pro12 club Ulster Rugby has announced that its Ravenhill Stadium will be renamed the Kingspan Stadium under a 10-year naming rights deal with the Kingspan Group – an existing commercial partner of the province.

English rugby union’s governing body the Rugby Football Union has agreed a new strategic partnership with multinational professional services company EY.

Supporting the brand outside of its headquarters in London is at the forefront of the telecommunications company BT’s sponsorship work, Richard Young, commercial director for BT, told Sports Sponsorship Insider.

The Welsh Rugby Union has announced banking group NatWest as sponsor for the return of the Wales Senior Trial match.

Welsh Pro 12 rugby union team the Scarlets has sealed a three-year kit manufacturing deal with Manchester-based rugby apparel company Kooga.

The Scottish Rugby Union has agreed a deal to sell the naming rights for Murrayfield, the sport’s national stadium in Edinburgh, to telecommunications company BT.

The Australian Rugby Union has extended its partnership with multinational hotels company InterContinental Hotels Group until the end of 2016.