Tranz Rail Supports Coast Rugby

15 August

Tranz Rail Supports Coast Rugby

Tranz Rail is backing both the West Coast and Buller Rugby Unions over the next three years with a significant new sponsorship partnership with the two unions.

Tranz Rail will take up naming rights to the joint senior club rugby competition, the Tranz Rail Jubilee Trophy, from the 2003 season. The Jubilee Trophy, originally donated by the Ngakawau Club for matches between the two champion clubs in the unions, is now the premier trophy for the combined club championship.

Although not picking up the naming rights to the trophy until next year Tranz Rail is giving its support to this season's Air New Zealand NPC third division campaigns and junior representative rugby on the Coast.

"The agreement we've reached with West Coast and Buller is for assistance at a number of levels within the game on the Coast," says Tranz Rail General Manager Commercial/Sales Craig Stapleton.

"The Coast has some unique needs in terms of supporting its junior and senior representative and senior club competitions and that's where our help is going. Travel is a huge cost for attending South Island under 16 and under 18 tournaments and for attending training for the senior squads.

"Our support will go into assisting both unions with their travel needs."

West Coast Chief Executive Mike Connors said the Tranz Rail partnership was welcome at a time when costs for smaller unions just seemed to keep on climbing.

"It is difficult for us meeting costs to get our young guys away to tournaments and knowing we have a new partner in place for the next three years will be very welcome," says Mike Connors.

Buller CEO/RDO Roy Atkin echoed those sentiments saying it was always difficult to attract significant sponsors to the region and to the third division.

Mr Stapleton said Tranz Rail had recently reviewed its sponsorships and was seeking to become more closely involved in some of the key regions in which it carried out its business.

As well as naming rights for the Jubilee Trophy competition Tranz Rail's logos will appear on both the West Coast and Buller senior representative jerseys and signage will be featured at both unions' home grounds.

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