The launch event involved Easigrass carpeting the Rhino offices with artificial turf and the presence of one their highly recogniseable ‘turfed’ vehicles so familiar to Londoners

Rhino Rugby and Easigrass Sports, a subsidiary of the artificial turf market leading Easigrass group, have announced a tie up to create the  RHINO-TURF series of products to address primarily the burgeoning market for soccer-rugby pitches in view of the expected impending agreement between FIFA and the IRB to promote these new dual use surfaces.

Easigrass Sports Managing Director Jonathan Gallagher commented:  ‘we realised that in order to fully maximise the technical expertise and sourcing advantages we feel we have in this exciting  and growing market going ahead that we needed a sports brand with impact. We have worked with Rhino for some time and were delighted that they were willing to partner us in this project’

Rhino CEO Reg Clark professed himself ‘very excited indeed’ by the prospects for the dual use surfaces market going ahead: ‘Bryn Lee and Easigrass between them possess unrivalled expertise and experience in this field; all the signs are that this market will experience exponential growth in the coming years and we are delighted to be part of it.  I regard this deal as further evidence of the increasing power of our brand not only in  rugby but in the world of sport generally’.

CEO of the RFU John Steele

Newly appointed CEO of the RFU John Steele made the keynote speech at the fourth annual Rugby Business Seminar at the Chiswick Moran Hotel the day before the England vs South Africa game, giving a tour d’horizon of the current challenges facing the game in England and globally and conducting an extensive Q&A session with delegates. He was followed by Gary Hetherington, CEO of Leeds Rugby who gave a fascinating insight into the running of the UK’s only dual code professional franchise and the future for co-existence and co-operation between the union and league codes.

As usual seminar founders Lewis Silkin provided a series of extremely valuable working group sessions on immigration, disciplinary and commercial aspects of running professional and amateur rugby clubs, assisted for the final session by Saracens Finance Director Jonathan Hall.

The Seminar, promoted by Lewis Silkin, Rhino Rugby, Pitchero, Campbell Gentry, Sportcal and venue hosts the Chiswick Moran Hotel, continues to go from strength to strength.

For more information - please visit www.rugbybusinessseminar.com

Rhino CEO Reg Clark on the company’s signature Dictator scrum machine at Twickenham

Rugby Expo 2010 yesterday announced rugby’s 20 most influential people following extensive polling ahead of the event and of delegates over two days. Rhino was proud to be represented on the list by both CEO Reg Clark and current England Manager Martin Johnson, who together led the Management Buy-In of Rhino in late 2006.  Kevin Roberts, from Sport Business Group, said, “The list of the top 20 most influential people in rugby has been designed to be a fair reflection of how people feel in the industry about the individuals that make the biggest decisions about the game as it was voted for by some of the biggest names in rugby. The next 12 months in the rugby world is going to be very exciting and we are all looking forward to seeing who makes the list next year. Congratulations to everyone who made the top 20.”

The top 20 in full

1. Bernard Lapasset, IRB
2. Sir Ian McGeechan, Bath and former Scotland and Lions Coach
3. Jonny Wilkinson, Player

Adam Crozier, ITV
Barney Francis, Sky Sports
David Gallop, National Rugby League, Australia
Francois Pienaar
Gareth Thomas, Player
Graham Henry, New Zealand Coach
Greg Peters, SANZAR
John Steele, RFU
Martin Johnson, England
Martin Sneddon, RNZ 2011
Max Guazzini, Owner Stade Francais
Mick Cleary, The Daily Telegraph
Paddy O’Brien, Head of the IRB Referees Board
Reg Clark, Rhino Rugby
Richard Lewis, RFL
Richie McCaw, New Zealand
Stephen Jones, The Sunday Times

Rhino CEO Reg Clark recently visited Jalandhar City in the Punjab to pay a first visit to our key supplier of rugby balls and other miscellaneous equipment, the Sporting Syndicate group. Owned and run by the Kohli family, the group is India’s leading manufacturer of sporting equipment, employing over 400 people. The group’s Majestic Syndicate subsidiary, acquired in 2006 and operated for 36 years by Harjal Raj, comprises the original Indian manufacturing unit for Gilbert rugby balls which are now made elsewhere.

Reg Clark and Sporting Syndicate’s Sales Director Alkesh Kohli had wide ranging discussions concerning future development of Rhino as a force in the global rugby ball market. Sporting Syndicate were responsible for the development and manufacture of Rhino’s range of Official British & Irish Lions 2009 South Africa Tour balls and will be strongly supporting Rhino’s future bids for further major ball contracts.

Reg Clark and Harjal Raj at the Majestic Syndicate factory

Based in Orpington, the brothers play their rugby at London Welsh Minis and were accompanied for the occasion by their father Sabro and friend Kazushi Tomita, both prominent members of London Japanese RFC. They were treated to talks by England coaches and staff and were able to watch the England squad train and meet them afterwards to collect autographs... even inclement weather could not dampen their excitement at meeting their heroes.

Seiji and Shuya meet England Manager Martin Johnson	Together with Kazushi Tomita, captain Lewis Moody

Rhino have for some years now been a regular supporter of the GOAL charity, an international humanitarian agency with strong support from the world of sport. We were accordingly a sponsor of the inaugural GOAL London Tag Rugby Championship in north London on August 29th. All proceeds from the event went towards funding the construction of basic housing for people living with AIDS/HIV in Uganda.

Tamara Gervasoni of GOAL UK expressed her ‘profound thanks’ for Rhino’s support – further information on GOAL’s activities can be found atwww.goal-uk.org.

For over 25 years you’ve known Rhino as a world leader in rugby contact and training equipment, with its core values of ‘toughness, reliability, integrity, heritage and team spirit’.

Increasingly, you’ve asked if we could bring those features to clothing that can be worn off the pitch. Our response is The RhinoGB range – fashion wear that brings together stylish quality and rugged comfort, featuring the renowned Rhino brand.

The full range will be available very soon onwww.rhinogb.com - watch out for sneak previews on Facebook and Twitter as well as a special launch offer exclusive to a rugby club near you in the coming weeks.

All at Rhino Rugby – staff, directors and shareholders, both past and present – offer their sincere condolences to the family of the legendary Andy Ripley who sadly passed away yesterday after a long battle with cancer.

Andy was instrumental in organising the Business Expansion Scheme share issue that followed the incorporation of Rhino’s original holding company (‘The Incredibly Fit Co’, as described in his obituary in today’s Daily Telegraph) in 1988 and was a significant shareholder and Chairman of the board of the company for 18 years. He was a constant source of good advice, humour and inspiration throughout this time , and was delighted at the success of the MBI in 2006, attending with his family the celebration of the deal hosted by Martin Johnson at Twickenham.

Rhino CEO Reg Clark was pleased in particular to be able to meet Andy one final time at the recent Rugby Players Association Dinner which featured a highly emotional presentation of a Lifetime Achievement Award to the England and Lions number 8, who was also recently awarded the OBE for his services to sport.

There will be many eulogies and tributes paid to this truly great man in the coming days – Rhino would simply like to add our own small contribution to that in appreciation of everything he did for our company.