Rugby Australia is delighted to announce a new partnership with the International Sports Promotion Society (ISPS Handa).
ISPS Handa has signed a two-year contract as principal partner for both the Australian Men’s and Women’s Rugby Sevens teams, and has also become an official partner of Wheelchair Rugby Australia.
It has been an extraordinary year for the Aussie Sevens teams – the Women’s Sevens team were victorious in the Rugby World Cup, Commonwealth Games, and World Rugby Sevens Series, while the Men’s Sevens team won the World Rugby Sevens Series.
The ISPS Handa logo will appear on the training and match jerseys for both the Australian Rugby Sevens teams.
As part of its agreement with Wheelchair Rugby Australia, ISPS Handa branding will appear on team and referee uniforms in the Australian Wheelchair Rugby ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Championships and ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ League.
Founded in 2006 by Dr Haruhisa Handa, ISPS Handa facilitates the transformative power of sport in countries all over the globe, while maintaining the organisation’s deep commitment to supporting charitable causes in the sporting world.
“We’re delighted to partner with Rugby Australia and Wheelchair Rugby Australia, and very excited to be directly involved in Sevens Rugby, which continues to grow in popularity around the world,” said Dr Handa.
“I’m also extremely happy that we are supporting Wheelchair Rugby through this partnership, because I have believed for a very long time in the importance of giving people with disabilities the best possible opportunity to be involved in sport.
“We are currently represented by global Rugby ambassadors Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Mike Tindall and Francois Pienaar, so it is very pleasing that we are now able to support in Rugby in Australia and we’re very proud to partner with Rugby Australia and Wheelchair Rugby Australia.”
Dr Handa has founded numerous charitable organisations, both in Japan and overseas, as he firmly believes that sport has the ability to unite communities across social, racial and socio-economic barriers.
Rugby Australia CEO, Andy Marinos, has welcomed ISPS Handa’s support.
“ISPS Handa has done such fantastic work in sport from the grassroots through to the elite level, and we are delighted to welcome ISPS Handa and Dr Handa to Rugby Australia.
“This year has seen unprecedented success for the Australian Sevens teams; our Women’s team won every major trophy available this season, and the Men won the World Series for the first time.
“It is a perfect opportunity for ISPS Handa to join with such a remarkably successful program – and to help play a role in ensuring that our teams remain at the top of their field.
“More than that, ISPS Handa’s values of inclusion and championing access to sport at all levels, align perfectly with the goals that we have for Rugby in Australia.
“We look forward to a strong partnership for many years to come.” Wheelchair Rugby Australia CEO, Chris Nay said.
“We are delighted to welcome ISPS Handa to the Wheelchair Rugby family. “We have seen significant growth in our sport across the past twelve months.
“This support will enable us to solidify that growth and continue to provide leading pathways and opportunities for the entire Wheelchair Rugby community across athletes, coaches, officials and classifiers.
“We are very thankful to Rugby Australia, ISPS Handa and the broader Rugby community for their support, as evidenced through this unprecedented agreement.”
The ISPS Handa logo will be seen on Australian Rugby Sevens team jerseys at the start of the new World Rugby Sevens Series season in Hong Kong, from 4 November.
