The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) and the Bank of Ireland’s relationship has strengthened as the latter becomes Irish rugby’s official partner until the 2027-28 season.
The bank has had a long-standing relationship with the IRFU making contributions to the development of the game in the country by supporting both men’s and women’s teams, as well as partnering with clubs such as Munster Rugby and Ulster Rugby.
The relationship between the two spans across 25 years with the Bank of Ireland not only supporting Irish rugby on the national and international stages, but also from grassroots levels in schools and clubs.
Bank of Ireland CEO, Myles O’Grady, stated: “This is an important announcement for us. It builds on our more than two decades of support for rugby in Ireland, from the grassroots to the provinces, up to the national men’s and women’s game.
“It is our ambition that this partnership with the IRFU will help continue the growth of rugby at all levels and the nation’s enjoyment of it.
“Our national teams have enjoyed huge success over the last number of years, and particularly in recent weeks. We’re very proud of all they have achieved and will be cheering and willing them on to even more success this weekend.”
The latest extension of the deal will continue to see Bank of Ireland support the IRFU’s efforts to help increase inclusion and growth of the game.
The deal will extend through to the next Rugby World Cup in the US in 2027. Ireland will hope to be defending the title on US soil as they are currently competing in this year’s tournament in France, coming off the back of a 36-14 victory over rivals Scotland.
“There are great similarities between our organisations, particularly with the importance we both place on delivering for our stakeholders including our supporters and communities,” added Kevin Potts, CEO at the IRFU.
“We look forward to enjoying many shared successes on and off the field over the coming years.”
