Sale Sharks have announced a one-year deal with global wine business, Bruce Jack Wines.
The partnership, which is the club’s first deal with a South African brand, will see the wine company team up with the club to host a range of events.
Bruce Jack wines will become Sale Shark’s first official wine partner in an initial 12-month deal for the 20/21 season.
Eleven South African players, including brand new signing Jean-Pierre du Preez, are currently named in the Sale Sharks squad for the new season, as well as South African Internationals, Faf de Klerk & Lood De Jager who were both part of the 2019 Rugby World Cup winning team.
The partnership will see the club and wine partner team up to host a range of events throughout the season, with plans already in the pipeline to launch a new virtual wine tasting event.
The deal is part of a drive by the club to introduce more international partnerships to its commercial roster.
“It’s great to be able to announce our first partnership deal with a South African-founded brand that’s already so well-loved and established in the UK,” said Mark Cueto, Commercial Director at Sale Sharks.
“We’re really proud to have a strong group of South African players in the squad this season, and so to be partnering with a brand founded in their home-country is a real coup for us. It’s also the first partnership we’ve ever agreed outside of Europe.
“Bruce and his team are doing great things in terms of spreading the brand’s geographical reach around the world, with the majority of supermarkets stocking the wine in the UK, so it’s a pleasure to be teaming up with such a prestigious brand in the international wine market.”
The 2021 British and Irish Lions tournament will hopefully see members of the Sale Sharks squad represent both The Lions and South Africa on the international stage.
The club’s lock and World Cup Winner, Lood De Jager who was born in the South African town of Alberton, said of the partnership: “It’s great that the club has been able to team up with a brand from my home country. I’m really proud of my South African heritage and so for the club to be working with a business that was founded there is great to see.”
“Rugby is a global sport that’s played and enjoyed by people from around the world, so I hope this is the start of a really great relationship with Bruce and his team.”
Bruce Jack ranges are currently stocked in supermarkets across the UK including Sainsbury’s Tesco, Co-op and Asda.
Bruce Jack said of the deal: “As a former rugby union player and referee, I hold the values that underpin rugby very dear. While professional sport is big business, values such as teamwork, self-sacrifice, discipline and respect are as important to the core ethos of modern rugby as is commercial success. The energy and team at Sale Sharks have helped make this partnership a natural fit for our business.
“Our business, while global in nature is built on authentic, carefully crafted wine, a responsibility for our environment and trying to be a force for good in society. We’re really looking forward to working with the club players, staff and partners on what promises to be an exciting and rewarding partnership!”
