Emirates to Sponsor IRB Sevens Event in Edinburgh

Media Release

28 November 2006

Emirates to Sponsor IRB Sevens Event in Edinburgh

Emirates, the Dubai-based international airline, today announced it will be title sponsor of the Scotland finale to the IRB Sevens Series which will be played next northern summer.

Edinburgh will play host to the climax of the prestigious sevens series, when the world's top seven-a-side players will travel to Murrayfield Stadium to compete on 2-3 June 2007 in the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s 2007.

The sponsorship was announced in Scotland by Gary Chapman, Emirates' President Group Services, IRB Chairman Syd Millar, and Gordon Mckie, Chief executive Scottish Rugby Union; on the day the Scotland 7s team boarded Emirates flight EK26 at Glasgow Airport, bound for the Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens which is the first leg of the IRB Sevens Series.

The Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s - 2007 will not only host a wealth of high quality international rugby sevens on the international pitch at Murrayfield next June, but will also put on a Festival of Rugby, celebrating all the abbreviated versions of the game played across the globe.

The Festival of Rugby will be an all-inclusive event, including tag, touch and full-contact club sevens.

Andy Irvine, President of Scottish Rugby, is to be Scotland's ambassador for the two day spectacle each June for the next five years and welcomes Emirates involvement.

"It's most encouraging to see another top international brand come on board with Scottish Rugby. Emirates has a proud record of being excellent sponsors and I'm sure its association with Scottish Rugby will be a very positive one.

"As we wish our young sevens players well in this weekend's Emirates Airline Dubai Sevens, I'm sure our players are already looking forward to performing in front of a home crowd next June for the climax of the series."

Gary Chapman, President - Emirates Group Services, said: "Emirates has been a supporter of rugby for a number of years, seen through our sponsorship of Sevens Rugby at an international level since 1986. We are very pleased to have increased our support within the Sevens arena by creating a relationship with the Scottish Rugby Union and the tournament to be known as the Emirates Airline Edinburgh 7s. Murrayfield will make a great venue for the tournament and to hold it at a Stadium that is so steeped in history, will be great for not only Scotland and Scottish 7s rugby, but also the recognition of the 7s game internationally.

He added: "We believe our support of this tournament will boost the Emirates' profile amongst our customers in Scotland, and look forward to bringing international fans to the event via our daily flights to Glasgow."

ENDS

© Scoop Media