Monthly Archives: September 2008

Rhino Pure Rugby, the brand launched recently by Rhino Rugby in collaboration with UK merchandising specialists Trimerchandise, has secured an Official Supplier contract with the to supply playing kit and apparel to the Swiss national rugby sides.

The FSR joins English Premiership club Northampton Saints and Magners League and Heinken Cup contender Edinburgh in adopting the Rhino Pure Rugby brand for the 2008-9 season.

Rhino Rugby itself has been appointed Official Supplier of training equipment to the British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa in 2009 and was an Official Partner and Supplier to the recent IRB U-20 Junior World Championship in Wales. It recently also added London Wasps to its roster of Official Supplier deals alongside longstanding relationships with England, Wales, Bath and the Cardiff Blues. The West London based company was subject to a management buy-in led by new England Team Manager Martin Johnson in late 2006.

FSR commercial consultant Alain Winterhalter comments 'Rhino is one of the great global rugby brands and we are delighted to be working with them’.

Rhino Pure Rugby head of sales Jason Critchley was equally pleased to land another major contract : 'we are determined to add national rugby federations to our portofolio of contracts and are very happy to have the FSR as our first of this kind. They will not be the last.’

Contact:
Jason Critchley on +44 7725 244022
or Reg Clark on + 44 208 995 5965.

Scrumsmart Event Great Success at Rauris International Rugby Festival in Austria

Over 150 players and coaches from four different countries attended a session of SCRUMSMART at the inaugural Rauris International Rugby Festival near Salzburg in Austria over the weekend of September 19th-2st. The Festival, the brainchild of Rhino Rugby Director and former GB rugby league team manager, Abi Ekoku, and sponsored by Austrian Chalets, featured various sides from the host nation, including an Austrian development squad, which played an international invitation XV, and additionally a womens tournament for sides from Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic.

SCRUMSMART is the campaign launched by Rhino, marketing services company ENS and other partners, and endorsed by the RFU and Welsh Rugby Union, to promote safe and effective contested scrummaging in the rugby union game. The session was conducted by Blackheath Director of Youth Development Steve Pope, ably assisted by his co-prop on the invitation XV Paul Shadbolt.

President of the Austrian RFU Andreas Schwab, himself a former international prop, was particularly delighted with the session: "from the point of view of developing basic positioning and technique in respect of many relative newcomers to the game, this was an absolutely invaluable event, and additionally our experienced front row players and forwards learned a great deal from Steve and Paul."

Further SCRUMSMART events are planned in a number of countries in the coming months and the campaign will be exhibiting at the Rugby Expo in London in November.

Rhino Rugby recently announced a two year deal to be Official Supplier of training equipment to Rugby League Challenge Cup winners St Helens. The deal was celebrated by both parties at the Super League decider against Wigan at Knowsley Road, played five days after the Saints clinched the Challenge Cup against Hull. The sides fought a highly entertaining and ferocious 16 all draw enabling St Helens to take the League Leaders trophy for the fourth consecutive year.

Historically, due to Rhino's previous location in Devon and that fact that its signature product was and is the scrummaging machine, rugby league has not been natural territory for the company. The new management of Rhino following the management buy-in in 2006 and relocation of the business to West London, however, set its sights on making this strategic breakthrough both in the area of training equipment (and in particular contact suits, tackle bags and hit shields, which translate perfectly well into league) and via its Rhino Pure Rugby brand in playing kit, protective equipment and apparel.

This was a major factor in the recruitment of former Bradford Bulls’ player and Chief Executive and GB Team Manager, Abi Ekoku, as a Director of Rhino and former Widnes and GB rugby league international Jason Critchley as Head of Sales for Rhino Pure Rugby.

Abi Ekoku comments: "The St Helens deal is the exactly the kind of breakthrough we have been looking for into the league code. We couldn't ask for a better partner for our signature deal and are determined to build on this to increase our coverage of the game at all levels, and to take our relationship with Saints further in future."

Saints Chief Executive, Tony Colquitt, added: "We are delighted to form this partnership with Rhino. The deal is a first in Rugby League and it will allow the Saints to continue to seek perfection in all our training, preparation and planning. Rhino are a proactive leading company and we are already in discussions with them with regards to League specific designs and equipment."

Pictured at Knowsley Road following the game between Saints and Wigan, holding the Rugby League Challenge Cup are Rhino Chief Executive Reg Clark and St Helens Chief Executive Tony Colquitt - Rhino Pure Rugby Director Wayne Mumford holds the League Leaders Trophy. Also pictured left to right are Rhino's Abi Ekoku, Steve Chapman, Jason Critchley and Rob Glenister.