Rugby Football Union Signs Four Year Partnership with Canterbury

Posted on Mar 2, 2012 in England, England Saxons, England Students, England U20, England Women, English Rugby, RFU

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) today announced a long term partnership with Canterbury, the world’s leading rugby brand, to become their official kit partner.

The four year agreement will see Canterbury supplying kit to the England Senior, Saxons, Sevens, Women’s and age grade representative teams from September 2012 to beyond the Rugby World Cup in 2015.

The partnership brings together two brands with great rugby heritage and tradition, in addition to an unrivalled passion for the sport and its fans. For the RFU it also represents the largest kit partnership in the Union’s history, allowing continued investment into all levels of the game which is at the heart of the strategic focus for both organisations.

Sophie Goldschmidt, RFU Chief Commercial Officer, said: “We are delighted about this new partnership with Canterbury. The brand is recognised by players and fans alike and its heritage in rugby is unrivalled. The excellent quality of playing apparel Canterbury is famed for will also ensure the England teams have the best technical kit available to assist them on and off the pitch. This new exciting partnership will allow the Rugby Football Union to further invest in the game.”

Chris Stephenson, CEO of Canterbury, said: “The partnership with the Rugby Football Union is the perfect combination of two brands steeped in rugby history that rugby fans know and respect. We are excited at the prospect of developing this relationship and enhancing the awareness of rugby to a wider audience with the aim of increasing participation levels.

"With over a century of experience in producing the highest quality playing apparel, designed specifically to maximise performance, we pride ourselves on producing the strongest, most technologically advanced kits available.”

Karena Wihongi suspension

Posted on Mar 31, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

KARENA WIHONGI of Sale Sharks has been suspended from participating in Rugby Union for four months for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation after testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine.

The suspension by a Rugby Football Union disciplinary panel on March 9, 2011 runs from January 28, 2011 (provisional suspension date) to May 26, 2011 and includes coaching, officiating, selection, team management, administration or promotion of the Game, playing, training as part of a team or squad, or involvement in the Game in any other capacity in any Union in membership of the International Rugby Board. He can resume these activities on May 27, 2011.

Wihongi tested positive for methylhexaneamine following the Aviva Premiership Rugby match against Newcastle Falcons at Kingston Park on January 7, 2011.

The player was tested after the away game versus Newcastle Falcons on 7th January by UK Anti-Doping. The sample returned an adverse analytical finding for the stimulant methylhexaneamine. The player was then provisionally suspended from playing and training by the RFU on Friday 28th January.

The player appeared before an RFU Discipline Panel on Wednesday 9th March. The decision of the Panel was that the player be suspended for a period of 4 months. Taking into account his present suspension imposed since the violation was first notified on the 28th January 2011, he is able to play again on the 27th May 2011.

The player and the Club made representation to the Panel that the stimulant entered the player’s system without his knowledge and without any pre-meditated plan to gain an advantage. It was demonstrated to the Panel that the stimulant became present via a contaminated product that was available through the Club’s supplements programme. When the product in question was supplied to the Club it was issued with a batch test certificate that showed no traces of any banned substance. The ingredients of the product had previously been checked and all had been cleared.

Sale Sharks would like to place on record our full support for the UK Anti-Doping Testing Programme. There is no place in sport for drug cheats and the penalties enforced for those that attempt to gain an advantage by using banned substances are correct and appropriate. However the Club are frustrated and disappointed with the above verdict given to a player who without his knowledge took a product that was wrongly contaminated.

Whilst the player and the Club have the Right to Appeal the verdict they will not be doing so. Karena Wihongi retains the full support of the Club and we look forward to his return to playing.

Ireland to play Baa-baas

Posted on Dec 9, 2009 in Rugby News

The Irish Rugby Football Union today confirmed that Ireland will play the Barbarians for The MasterCard Trophy at Thomond Park, Limerick on Friday 4th June 2010 – Kick off 7.45pm. This match will form part of Ireland’s 2010 Southern Hemisphere tour preparations and the Barbarians’ Summer Tour, with a fixture against England the week before.

This will be the first time that Ireland has played the Barbarians in Ireland since 2000. The most recent meeting between the two sides also coincided with the last Southern Hemisphere tour Ireland undertook in 2008 when Ireland played the Barbarians in Gloucester, winning the game 39-14.

Following the Baa-Baa’s game in Limerick, the Ireland squad will depart to New Zealand and Australia where they are currently scheduled to play two games on the tour against the All Blacks on June 12th and the Wallabies on June 26th.

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Coventry Rugby: future still uncertain

Posted on Dec 3, 2009 in Rugby News

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) yesterday met with Coventry President and former England fullback Peter Rossborough at Twickenham Stadium about the future of the club and Championship rugby in the City.

The discussions between Mr Rossborough and his advisors and RFU Chief Executive Francis Baron, RFU Management Board Chairman Martyn Thomas and RFU Company Secretary Karena Vleck were productive and will be ongoing.

However, the RFU has yet to hear from Andrew Green further to his statement about his intent to put Coventry Rugby Football Club Limited into Creditors Voluntary Liquidation which is not proving helpful.

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English Championship final to be played over two legs

Posted on Nov 26, 2009 in Rugby News

The Rugby Football Union Management Board today accepted a proposal from the Championship Clubs Committee that the inaugural final be played over two legs, home and away, of the finalists rather than at Twickenham.

This arrangement is subject to the RFU Council agreeing the required regulation change. The matches will be played in midweek in May, dates to be confirmed, subject to discussion with broadcasters Sky.

Board chairman Martyn Thomas said: “The new Championship is proving to be a tightly fought and exciting league, with an average of five tries per match and overall attendance up by 30% on last year.

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