no8 and Speights become great mates

28/10/2010 10:15:25 a.m.

A new mateship is celebrated today (28 October 2010) as Speight’s signs on to become a sponsor of no8.co.nz, the New Zealand rugby supporters’ club launched in July 2009.  With approximately 15,000 members, it caters for all fans from the All Blacks to the Under 5s.

No8.co.nz is an initiative of the New Zealand Rugby Foundation (NZRF); a charitable trust tasked with assisting the seriously injured players in New Zealand and continuing to harness the passion of grassroots rugby.  The patron of no8.co.nz is Wayne ‘Buck’ Shelford and the NZRF board consists of rugby legends, John (DJ) Graham, Tane Norton, Andy Leslie, John Leslie, and David Latta. Life members include Sir Colin Meads, and patron Sir Wilson Whineray.

no8.co.nz has developed an online community and its strategic focus for the next 12 months is to establish an off-line presence, keeping the fun aspect at the fore, but also generating funds which go wholly to the NZRF. Speight’s Marketing Manager Sean O’Donnell comments, “Speight’s has a strong commitment to grassroots rugby, making it the perfect mate for no8.  It has achieved a terrific fan base in a short time and we look forward to growing it further with initiatives leading up to a great year of rugby in 2011!”

“We are all about bringing the fans back to the grounds and enhancing the community spirit that follows the team. Having a partner like Speight’s, with its existing connections to rugby and the wider community,will help us achieve this. We are chuffed with the commitment Speight’s has made to no8 and look forward to developing this relationship into something rewarding for all,” says Ben Sturmfels, Director of Marketing for NZRF.

Good on ya, mates.

www.no8.co.nz

www.speights.co.nz

Media Release