Rugby Australia has named Cadbury the principal partner of the Wallaroos for the next six years, including for Australia’s home Rugby World Cup in 2029.
Under the extended agreement, the Cadbury logo will feature across the front of the Wallaroos kit, building on its commitment since becoming a major partner of the team in 2021.
Kathy De Lullo, Director of Marketing Excellence at Mondelēz International, custodians of Cadbury, commented: “We know Australians are passionate about sport on the world stage, and Cadbury’s values of creating connections, generosity and community spirit resonate with our partnership with Australian Rugby and the Wallaroos.
“Through our commitment, we want to support the Wallaroos at the elite level and promote visibility and equality for women in sports.”
The confectionery company has emphasised its commitment to women’s sports and in particular women’s rugby in Australia, investing AU$50m into Australia’s leading sporting codes over the past decade.
Phil Waugh, CEO of Rugby Australia, said: “Cadbury has been an invaluable partner to Rugby since 2021, and we are proud to announce together, the brand’s expanded commitment to Women’s Rugby for the next six years.
“The 2029 Rugby World Cup promises to be an inspiring moment for the game, and to be able to enjoy the support of such a prominent brand in the lead-up to that major event is a huge boost to the Wallaroos program.”
This partnership comes at a time of significant development for Rugby Australia, with the organisation recently announcing it will invest more than ever before into its Women’s Rugby programme in 2024.
These investments come in the form of higher player payments, a full-time head coach, a first dedicated women’s high-performance manager and an increased Wallaroos schedule.
Waugh added: “We still have work to do; however, we are seeing the flow-on at the community level too – Women’s Rugby is the fastest growing area of the game at the grassroots level; we saw a 16% increase in female participation in clubs in 2023.
“This major partnership with Cadbury will be a significant factor as we strive to continue growing our financial commitment to Women’s XVs, and especially in driving greater visibility of our athletes and the team.”
Taking into consideration the upcoming World Cup in 2025 and the 2029 World Cup, which will be played in Australia, there will be a lot of opportunities for Cadbury to support the team through activations and initiatives.
One initiative that aligns with Rugby Australia is Cadbury’s recent work in encouraging participation at the grass roots level. One example of this is the 2022 National Women in Sport program, which funded uniforms designed specifically for female athletes.
Darren O’Brien, President Australia, New Zealand and Japan at Mondelēz International, remarked: “We want to encourage Australians to get more involved in Rugby at a local club, in the stands, or as part of the global competition, and we are seeing pleasing growth in women’s participation figures across the board from the elite through to the grassroots.
“As a leading brand, together with a leading sports code, we are thrilled to boost our partnership with the Wallaroos and are excited about the journey to come.”
