Rhino has signed a two-year deal with Asia Rugby to supply official match balls for all of its 15s and 7s international competitions.
The deal covers all 31 of the organisation’s member unions stretching right across Asia, including the likes of 2019 Rugby World Cup hosts Japan, India, China, Sri Lanka, South Korea, UAE and Kazakhstan.
When combined with the 46 nations who use Rhino in Rugby Europe competition, it means an incredible 77 of the world’s rugby-playing national sides will shortly be playing regularly with Rhino match balls.
“It’s been an amazing year for Rhino and working with Asia Rugby cements our position as a world-class provider of match balls,” says Reg Clark, CEO of Rhino. “Our Vortex Elite had already proven itself in the Guinness Pro12 with outstanding kicking statistics, and it's repeated these efforts in Rugby Europe, where it’s been used by everyone from Georgia and Romania to Spain and Germany.
“The fact that the British & Irish Lions have chosen Rhino as its training ball supplier for three consecutive tours also underlines the quality and performance.”
England and Germany use the Rhino Vortex Elite during the Rugby Europe Sevens
“Asia Rugby is delighted to have reached this agreement with Rhino for the next two years”, said Koji Tokumasu, President of Asia Rugby. “Rhino continues to position itself as the ball of choice for a large number of competitions around the rugby world and we look forward to seeing it used throughout our Asia Rugby tournaments starting in 2018.”
The first Asia Rugby matches to be played with the Rhino Vortex Elite is planned to be the Asia Rugby Championship Division III, scheduled to be played in early 2018.
As official suppliers to England Rugby, the Welsh Rugby Union and for three consecutive British & Irish Lions tours, Rhino remains the world-leader in rugby training equipment.
