Land Rover Launches World Cup Campaign
Land Rover has launched its Rugby World Cup 2015 campaign, entitled ‘We Deal In Real’, with a team of rugby ambassadors lending a hand at a grassroots match in Hampshire.
The team joined amateur side Racal Decca RFC, recognised as the ‘smallest rugby club in the world’ according to the car manufacturer, to assist in the routine matchday preparations.
Launching the campaign, Land Rover said in its press release: “As a worldwide partner of the tournament, Land Rover will be putting clubs such as Racal Decca at the heart of their campaign, showcasing the real spirit of the game around the world and putting grassroots clubs and players onto the global stage.”
Check out the video of the day at Sport Industry TV
As the side prepared to take on rivals Streatham-Croydon 3rds, Land Rover surprised the two teams by calling on a world class line-up of Rugby World Cup winners from across the globe, which included five Rugby World Cup winners’ medals.
With neither side aware of the activity, Sir Clive Woodward arrived to conduct a pre-match team talk ahead of kick off. After putting on their matchday jerseys, which had been laid out with care by Will Greenwood and Bryan Habana, the teams were put through their paces in a warm-up led by former Scotland captain Kelly Brown.
Hosted at a neutral venue in Hampshire, due to neither side having their own clubhouse, the teams were further surprised on arrival at the site of the coveted Webb Ellis Cup, which will be lifted by the winner of Rugby World Cup 2015 on 31st October.
With the game underway, Racal Decca were awarded a penalty in front of the posts by referee Hayden Sarjeant, a maintenance supervisor at the Jaguar Land Rover Castle Bromwich Assembly Plant, as their kicker was handed the kicking tee by Jonny Wilkinson.
New Zealander Brad Thorn was also on hand with the water bottles, while former French winger Benjamin Fall and Shane Horgan, who was capped 65 times for Ireland, ran on the oranges at half time.
Land Rover ambassador Jonny Wilkinson said: “Racal Decca RFC and Streatham Croydon 3rds, just like thousands of similar small rugby clubs around the world, have shown an incredible commitment to the game and it is admirable that a love of the game remains at the core of everything they do. Passion and commitment are the very foundations of the game of rugby and Racal Decca are testament to that continued devotion to the sport. It has been an honour to be part of today’s Land Rover event, and to remember what makes grassroots rugby so special.”
Mark Cameron, Jaguar Land Rover global brand experience director, added: “Land Rover has been at the heart of rugby, from the grassroots to the elite, for over two decades. We share the same passion, resolve and integrity that sits within the core of the game. It is therefore fitting that our sponsorship campaign around the pinnacle of the game, Rugby World Cup 2015, will bring the grassroots to the fore. Building on this long heritage within rugby, ‘We Deal In Real’ aims to give grassroots clubs the opportunity to experience the media spotlight, whilst staying true to Land Rover’s brand values.”
