IRFU And Canterbury Agree New Four Year Deal

The renewal, which spans all national teams including men’s, women’s, underage and Sevens, marks nearly a quarter of a century of successful partnership. The first partnership period, from 2000 to 2009, culminated in Ireland’s first men’s Grand Slam in over 60 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 longevity of the relationship is reflected in the fact that Keith Wood and Sarahjane Belton were the first men’s and women’s team captains to lead out Ireland whilst wearing a green jersey designed and manufactured by Canterbury, the world’s leading rugby brand.

In their role as Official Kit Partner to the IRFU, Canterbury will continue to produce match day and training wear, incorporating advanced technologies and cutting-edge design, as well as a wide range of supporter wear designed to meet the needs of all Irish Rugby supporters.

Canterbury has also extended its title sponsorship of 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 Canterbury Give It A Try programme.

The extension follows the recent move by Canterbury and the IRFU to swap the Ireland women’s team’s shorts from white to navy, following concerns from players about playing during their period.

Commenting on the deal, Simon Rowe, VP Global Sports Marketing, Pentland Brands, said:

“Our focus is on crafting world-class kit for teams, players, and supporters. 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 the international level, our partnership with the IRFU exemplifies our deliberate approach to collaboration underscoring our commitment to selective partnerships, and furthering our dedication to nurturing the sport at the grassroots, and championing equity on the playing field.”

Padraig Power, Chief Commercial Officer of the IRFU said

“As 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 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.”

In parallel with this partnership renewal, Canterbury and the IRFU has extended its arrangement with Intersport Elverys to be the official retail partner of the IRFU in the UK and Ireland and the exclusive operator of the official IRFU online store. Intersport Elverys have more than 46 retail stores across Ireland with plans for 2024 to open its biggest flagship store on St Patricks Street in Cork and finishing a new state of the art automated picking warehouse by AutoStore that will operate and quickly service Irish supporters needs 24/7 all year round.

Commenting on the deal, Philip Staunton, Director of Buying Teamsports, Intersport Elverys, said: “As we come to the end of this World Cup cycle, we are excited by the plans of Canterbury and the IRFU for the next four years. It’s a tremendous honour to have the responsibility of kitting out Ireland supporters both in Ireland and around the world. We can trace our relationship with the IRFU back to the early 20th century through old match programmes and our Suffolk Street store which is a special place for many Irish Rugby supporters who have memories of buying their first rugby jersey there. We’re proud of our past support and looking forward to our bright future working together”.