LAND ROVER SCORES AT RUGBY WORLD CUP 2011

Land Rover and the tough‑as‑nails sport of Rugby go together like four‑wheel‑drive and mud, writes John Edwards, Global Brand Director, Land Rover.

It’s a sport that shares so many of its values with Land Rover – power, performance, intelligence, versatility; all elements that are needed to create a world‑class Rugby team, and a world‑class, all‑terrain vehicle.

All of us at Land Rover are hugely excited about the upcoming Rugby World Cup 2011, which kicks off in Auckland, New Zealand on September 9 and runs until October 23.

If you think that Rugby is just some minor‑league sport that we Brits play on a Saturday afternoon, consider this: Rugby World Cup 2011 will be watched by a TV audience of over four billion in more than 200 countries and by more than 1.6 million spectators in New Zealand.

This is why, at the end of last year, we were so enthusiastic about Land Rover becoming the Official Vehicle of Rugby World Cup 2011 – and for us signing a five‑year agreement to become a Worldwide Partner for Rugby World Cup 2015.

It’s a partnership that gives us an enormous global showcase and a real opportunity to engage with customers, staff and Rugby fans around the world in the build‑up and during one of the biggest sporting events of 2011.

To help the teams and officials keep on the move, we’ve just delivered a fleet of specially‑customized ‘Rugby World Cup 2011’ vehicles – mostly Range Rover Sport vehicles and Land Rover LR4 vehicles – to the Port of Auckland in preparation for the tournament.

They’re hard to miss. Each one features a head‑turning ‘Rugby World Cup 2011’ paint scheme, special RWC 2011 license plates and commemorative badging.

Twenty teams from around the globe, including a team from the U.S., will be playing at no fewer than 12 venues that span the entire North and South Islands of New Zealand. Expect to see our vehicles everywhere from Whangarei to Wellington.

As you might suspect, this isn’t the first time Land Rover has sponsored the sport. We’ve been the Official Vehicle of England Rugby since 2002, and Official Vehicle of the British and Irish Lions, supporting them on their 2005 and 2009 tours.

We’re also committed to encouraging youngsters to get involved; the Land Rover Premiership Rugby Cup is a UK‑nationwide tournament for children ages 11 and 12.

Of course, some might say that our love of Rugby borders on fanaticism. But I think we’re much more passionate about it than that.