SAB Crowned Series Sponsor of the British & Irish Lions Tour of South Africa 2009

South African Breweries LTD (SAB) has been named as the Title Sponsor of the forthcoming prestigious British & Irish Lions Rugby Tour to South Africa. SAB brand, Castle Lager, will take Title Sponsorship of the Tour in a deal worth R25m.  The Tour will be known as the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series.

The 10 match Tour begins on the 30thMay 2009, with the Lions taking on four Provincial Teams, two invitational combinations, the Emerging Springboks as well as the Springboks in three Tests.

According to Ian Penhale SAB Marketing Director, ‘This Sponsorship not only reaffirms SAB’s commitment to SA Rugby and its fans, it also rubber stamps the company’s support for traditional Rugby Tours which have vanished over the past few years’. 

An elated Oregan Hoskins added that ‘The British & Irish Lions Tour is like a mini Rugby World Cup. Its significance and uniqueness makes the Tour important for SA Rugby and the Nation, and we are honoured to host the Team’.

It became clear in an interview with Ian Penhale and Rob Fleming of SAB that Megapro Marketing played a critical role in brokering and negotiating this massive Sponsorship deal between SA Rugby and SAB.  ‘Without Megapro this deal would not have happened’ said Ian Penhale.

‘In tough trading conditions like these, where the reduction of Sponsorship budgets is the order of the day, we are extremely proud to have secured SAB as the Series Sponsor of the last great Rugby Tour. SAB have been outstanding Supporters of Rugby for many years, and we are delighted to have them on board’, commented Megapro CEO Dave Jenkins.

This Sponsorship was launched at a Media conference at SAB’s World of Beer on Wednesday the 18th February 2009.