Today Canterbury, the official kit partner to Irish Rugby, announces a new four-year partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union until the end of the 2028 season.
The renewal, which spans all national teams, including men’s, women’s, underage and Sevens, brings the total duration of the partnership between Canterbury and the IRFU to 23 years. The current partnership, running from 2014, has delivered four Six Nations wins, including two Grand Slams for the Men’s side, one Women’s Six Nations title and three Grand Slams for the U20s side.
The sponsorship also extends to the IRFU’s Canterbury Give It A Try programme, a grassroots initiative designed to give girls aged between 8 and 14 the opportunity to learn how to play rugby in a fun and safe environment. Since 2020, over five thousand girls have participated in the programme.
The four-year deal means that Canterbury will continue to produce match day and training wear which incorporates advanced technologies and cutting-edge design, as well as a wide range of supporter wear for Irish Rugby fans.
On the deal, Padraig Power, chief commercial officer of the IRFU, said: “As the official kit partner to the IRFU since 2014, Canterbury shares our ambition to grow the game in Ireland. Canterbury’s consistency in producing unparalleled design and technically excellent kit continues to give our teams an edge on the field and our supporters a great choice in leisure wear. We’re very excited to see our men’s team take to the pitch at Rugby World Cup, and we are also looking forward to our women’s team participating in the inaugural WXV later in the year.”
Simon Rowe, Pentland Brand’s vice president of global sports marketing, commented: “In the IRFU, we’ve discovered genuine partners and this agreement reflects almost a quarter of a century of teamwork from grassroots to elite levels. At an international level, our partnership with the IRFU exemplifies our deliberate approach to collaboration, underscoring our commitment to selective partnerships, furthering our dedication to nurturing the sport at the grassroots, and championing equity on the playing field.”
In parallel with this partnership, Canterbury and the IRFU are extending their arrangement with Intersport Elverys as the official retail partner of the IRFU and the exclusive operator of the official IRFU online store.
Find the official Irish Rugby Kit from the Elverys online shop www.elverys.ie and globally on www.canterbury.com
Caption: Pictured from left to right are Irish players Ryan Baird and Dannah O’Brien, IRFU chief executive Kevin Potts, Pentland Brand’s vice president of global sports marketing Simon Rowe and Irish player Jacob Stockdale.
