It wouldn’t be Wales without SA

David Pickering, WRU Chairman and Richard Davies, Sales and Marketing Director at Brains toast the deal with a pint of SA and SA Gold.

The Brains logo which has been emblazoned on the Welsh international rugby jersey since 2004 is to stay proudly in place in a new sponsorship deal agreed by the WRU and SA Brain and Co Ltd.

That era has included two Grand Slams in 2005 and 2008 along with Wales test match appearances across Europe, throughout the southern hemisphere and in the USA and Canada.

Today the Welsh Rugby Union announced a renewed sponsorship deal with Wales’ leading brewer and pub operator which means the Brains logo will remain on Wales’ international jerseys until September 2009.
The arrangement is part of a wider four year deal which ensures that Brains remains the toast of Welsh rugby with dispensing rights to serve its newest brand extension ‘SA Smooth’ at the Millennium Stadium until 2012, alongside Brains Smooth and ‘45’, its Continental style beer.


The jersey sponsorship means Brains will now make its mark on the new Under Armour Wales kit which will be officially launched in October shortly before the Invesco Perpetual series 2008.


As you would expect from the innovative and ‘positive thinking’ people at Brains, they will again break the mould of sponsorship and have two different sponsorship marks on the Home and Away kits. The ‘Brains SA’ logo will feature then on the home international jerseys with the away kit featuring ‘SA Gold’, an award winning golden ale which is also Brains’ fastest growing cask ale brand.

Richard Davies, Sales and Marketing Director at Brains said: “We are delighted to announce the extension of our relationship with the WRU for a further four year term.

“This will enable us to promote our key brand SA and our fastest growing brand, SA Gold, which recently won silver in the Champion Beer of Wales Awards at the Great Welsh Beer and Cider Festival and Gold in the All Wales Bottled Beer Awards.

“After seeing two Grand Slams and many victories home and away during our first four years of sponsorship we are extremely hopeful of a continuation of a successful Welsh team.”

Welsh Rugby Union Chairman, David Pickering said: “The contract extension with Brains is a great boost for Welsh rugby. The creative partnership established with Brains has been the envy of other rugby playing nations and combined with the recent major deal with Under Armour provides the WRU with a dynamic foundation of sponsors.”

The Welsh Rugby Union Group Chief Executive, Roger Lewis, said: “We are proud to be associated with a company which represents success in Wales.

“Brains is based on strong tradition combined with modern thinking and strong commercial drive which echoes what we are achieving within the professional game.”

New branding for the 2008/09 season


Away Jersey Branding



Home Jersey Branding

More details from SA Brain