RSA Insurance and LCU expand Partnership

RSA are to continue their support of Cricket Leinster to 2015 and have expanded the areas of partnership to include the new inter-provincial team, the Leinster Lightning, all Leinster league and cup competitions, development programmes for coaching and umpiring and through the 'Get Into Cricket' programme at grassroots level. The full list of supported activities will be announced over the coming days and weeks.

At the recent lanuch of the expanded partnership were Trent Johnston [Coach of Leinster Lightning], Philip Smith [CEO, RSA Insurance Ireland] and Henry Tighe [President Cricket Leinster].

The full text of the annoucnement is set out below.

RSA Insurance and Cricket Leinster have announced an expansion of their partnership to 2015.  The extended relationship will include added supports for:

• Leinster’s Representative teams
• Leinster Cup competitions
• Leinster’s Coaching and Umpiring development programmes
• ‘Get Into Cricket’ programmes at Club and School level

Making the announcement Philip Smith, CEO, RSA Insurance Ireland noted: “We’ve been delighted to partner with and sponsor Cricket Leinster over the past year and are happy to today confirm an expansion of our participation in the sport across the region.

RSA’s progressive relationship with Cricket Leinster ideally complements our major sponsorship of Ireland’s National Cricket teams and our partnership with Cricket Ireland and provides a strong opportunity to further secure the growth of the game at Provincial, Club and Grass Roots levels.”

Henry Tighe, President, Cricket Leinster said: “We are very pleased that RSA Insurance has agreed to build their partnership with Cricket Leinster. Our association with RSA will be instrumental in developing the game at all levels across Leinster and in bolstering our provincial structure, our representative teams and club competition activity.

Importantly, this relationship will also allow us to build on the momentum generated by the rapidly increasing numbers of people participating in the sport. Supported by Cricket Ireland and now RSA’s sponsorship, we can push on with added promotional, coaching and ‘get in to cricket’ activities. The future of the sport across Leinster looks very bright.”

The Partnership

• The expanded sponsorship agreement will form an important element in RSA Ireland’s wider business development activity in the Irish market and a conduit for enhancing RSA brand awareness among target audiences and the general public. The partnership is also aligned with RSA’s Corporate & Social Responsibility Programme through the development of sport at regional and grass roots levels. 

• The primary elements of the partnership include:
  • Brand sponsorship of the Leinster Representative Teams
  • Naming rights to the primary Leinster League and Cup competitions
  • Promotional and development of Grass Roots and ‘Get into Cricket’ Programmes across the province
  • Equipment and collateral materials for clubs
  • Supports for Coaching and Umpiring programmes
  • Development of Leinster Cricket’s innovative, live Match Scoring Centre 

RSA Insurance Ireland

• RSA Insurance is the largest non-life insurance company in Ireland and part of the global RSA Insurance Group plc. RSA Ireland is the major insurer of property (home and commercial) and SME, Large and Multi-National businesses and is the leader in the delivery of bespoke Personal lines insurance programmes (Motor & Home) for scale business partners.
• The RSA Insurance business in Ireland also includes the well known 123.ie brand, one of the largest and fastest growing personal insurance providers.
• RSA Ireland has delivered strong financial performances and consistently out-performed the market in recent years supported by significant investments in Regional Expansion, New jobs and by Acquisition.
• Website: www.rsagroup.ie

Cricket Leinster

• The Leinster Cricket Union (LCU) comprises affiliated sports clubs in Leinster engaged in the playing of cricket. Its role is to promote, foster and organise the playing of cricket in the province.
• There are currently 45 clubs participating in Open, Women’s and Youth competitions as well as through a network of social cricket. The number of clubs is increasing each year with renewed interest in the sport in particular around the periphery of Dublin.
• The main Open Competitions are divided into fourteen divisions with a minimum of eight teams competing in league and cup competitions. Sixteen teams also compete in the RSA Irish Senior Cup and the RSA national Cup. There are also three womens divisions, with around 20 teams battling for honours
• Cricket Leinster works closely with Cricket Ireland to foster cricket in new areas and employs, with government support, a number of development officers
• Overall participation in the sport has increased with over 10 new clubs forming in the last three years.
• Website: www.cricketleinster.ie