Guinness Strengthens Ties

Diageo has strengthened its relationship with rugby for its GUINNESS brand in Europe by announcing a deal as Official Beer Partner of the RBS 6 Nations.

ShareGUINNESS is proud to become the first beer partner in the 100-year history of the leading annual international rugby tournament in the world.

GUINNESS already enjoy a long standing association with the IRFU as a proud partner of Irish rugby and title sponsor of the autumn internationals, the GUINNESS Series.

In recent years GUINNESS extended its rugby partnership to include both Leinster and Munster, in addition to being the official beer of the Aviva Premiership and the British & Irish Lions.

The partnership with the RBS 6 Nations broadens the GUINNESS brand association from Irish provincial and national rugby to appeal to the millions of international fans of the sport, making GUINNESS a significant player in rugby sponsorship in the northern Hemisphere.

Stuart Kinch, Senior Brand Manager, GUINNESS Ireland, said: "The new partnership gives us our largest ever presence in rugby, with over 120 million in TV audiences watching the RBS 6 Nations, and demonstrates our long term commitment to the sport.

"Our rugby partnerships are all about offering fans an enriched experience around the rugby occasion.

"The GUINNESS brand's association with the RBS 6 Nations will encourage the coming together of all fans, whoever their team is and wherever they watch the rugby, to share a rugby experience together over a pint of the black stuff."

John Feehan, Chief Executive of RBS 6 Nations Rugby, said: "We are delighted to welcome GUINNESS on board as a RBS 6 Nations Partner. The GUINNESS brand has a long standing presence in and commitment to rugby that makes them the perfect partner for our Championship.

"The union of GUINNESS and the RBS 6 Nations together espouses all that is great about international rugby union on and off the field in terms of the pan-national camaraderie and friendship that is so unique to our sport and so ingrained in the culture of the Championship.

"We greatly look forward to working with GUINNESS over the years and Championships to come."

Irish fans can follow the GUINNESS rugby team of International players - Jamie Heaslip, Tommy Bowe, Jonathan Sexton, Stephen Ferris, John Muldoon, Tomas O'Leary andJerry Flannery - on the GUINNESS Rugby Supporters Facebook page throughout the RBS 6 Nations campaign and beyond.