Specialist business insurer
QBE is joining other global sponsors who will support the British and Irish Lions in their series of matches next year against New Zealand’s best rugby franchises.
QBE Insurance Group CEO John Neal said the insurer has been chosen as a principal partner of the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of New Zealand, which will consist of 10 games played throughout the country, including three test matches against the double world champions the All Blacks.
“The Lions represents perhaps the ultimate example of ‘all for one and one for all’ teamwork. Every four years, the finest players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales come together to challenge the very best teams from the Southern hemisphere,” Neal said.
“Perhaps even more important than the undoubted individual skills of the players, two factors are critical to the Lions’ success - inspirational leadership and excellent teamwork,” he added.
British and Irish Lions COO Charlie McEwen stressed the importance of building a strong “backroom team” to support the players on the field.
“The coaches, analysts, strength & conditioning, medical, logistics, all the administrative teams and our partners come together with a common goal of uniting as one to ensure our players are best placed to meet the challenges in New Zealand,” he said.
This is not the first time that QBE has supported rugby internationally. In 2011, the insurer inked a four-year deal to become the title sponsor of the QBE Internationals and the official insurance partner of England Rugby.
QBE also partnered with the Argentinian Rugby Union in 2012 and sponsored Premiership Rugby from 2009 to 2013. The insurer QBE has also been a sponsor of North Harbour Rugby since 2003.
