Rugby gets N$6 million

THE Namibia Rugby Union (NRU) secured its biggest sponsorship deal ever when mobile service provider MTC pumped an impressive N$6 million into the union’s coffers yesterday.

The union will receive N$2 million a year for three years for its activities. The sponsorship came at a crucial time to ease the union’s financial woes ahead of the national rugby team’s participation in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France in September.The Namibia Rugby Union has over the years struggled to keep its head above water financially, and the MTC sponsorship will ease their troubles for at least the next three years.The NRU and MTC concluded the deal earlier this month and according to MTC general manager Christian Faure, it marked the final round of the company’s revised sponsorship strategy that was implemented some three years ago.”It represents the culmination of our vision that requires MTC to provide long-term, sustainable support for A category sports codes with a view to building capacity from the ground up, and then leading them into the international stage,” he said.He said the sponsorship will possibly be augmented in the future by further ad hoc amounts for invitational matches, players’ apparel and stadium improvements.”The sponsorship is of an exclusive nature with MTC holding all branding rights to the Namibian leagues and national team as well as the Hage Ggeingob Stadium,” he said.He added that MTC intends to rekindle pride in Namibian rugby and urged all spectators to support the teams.He mentioned examples such as the Namibian cricket team, which he says was shining again on the regional stage and in the international arena for its development programmes.He said this could only bode well for the next round of World Cup qualifiers.”Namibian football is entering a new era of good governance, youth football programmes and genuine excitement in our local leagues and knock-out cups.Again, we have high hopes for the African Nations Cup and the forthcoming World Cup,” he said.Faure said current NRU Patron Hage Geingob and Dirk Conradie played an influential role in negotiating the deal, while Geingob also made a personal intervention after the stadium was nearly auctioned because of bad debt last year.Conradie, whose speech was read on his behalf by the NRU’s chief executive officer, Christo Alexander, said that both parties do not only have their corporate interests to develop but their common aim is to develop and grow the game of rugby in all communities.”As of today, the NRU will aim to reach more kids on grassroots level to engage in the game of rugby.After all, the game of rugby is a sport cherished by young people.It builds team values, understanding, co-operation and respect for fellow athletes,” he said.Conradie, a lawyer by profession, said: “A child in sport is a child out of court.”Minister of Sport John Mutorwa, who delivered the keynote address, said the fact that a team or an athlete qualifies to play in a regional, national, continental or international event, must be regarded as a great and significant success by itself.He said the national rugby team had already obtained success merely by qualifying for the World Cup.He said athletes or teams competing internationally should conduct themselves professionally, as they are doing duty for the country.He also urged employers to show their support, understanding and empathy when players who work for them are to represent the country.He said employers should release them from work because they promote the country, for which they could never be sufficiently rewarded.He thanked MTC for being a dependable and reliable partner in Namibian sport.The sponsorship came at a crucial time to ease the union’s financial woes ahead of the national rugby team’s participation in the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France in September.The Namibia Rugby Union has over the years struggled to keep its head above water financially, and the MTC sponsorship will ease their troubles for at least the next three years.The NRU and MTC concluded the deal earlier this month and according to MTC general manager Christian Faure, it marked the final round of the company’s revised sponsorship strategy that was implemented some three years ago.”It represents the culmination of our vision that requires MTC to provide long-term, sustainable support for A category sports codes with a view to building capacity from the ground up, and then leading them into the international stage,” he said.He said the sponsorship will possibly be augmented in the future by further ad hoc amounts for invitational matches, players’ apparel and stadium improvements.”The sponsorship is of an exclusive nature with MTC holding all branding rights to the Namibian leagues and national team as well as the Hage Ggeingob Stadium,” he said.He added that MTC intends to rekindle pride in Namibian rugby and urged all spectators to support the teams.He mentioned examples such as the Namibian cricket team, which he says was shining again on the regional stage and in the international arena for its development programmes. He said this could only bode well for the next round of World Cup qualifiers.”Namibian football is entering a new era of good governance, youth football programmes and genuine excitement in our local leagues and knock-out cups.Again, we have high hopes for the African Nations Cup and the forthcoming World Cup,” he said.Faure said current NRU Patron Hage Geingob and Dirk Conradie played an influential role in negotiating the deal, while Geingob also made a personal intervention after the stadium was nearly auctioned because of bad debt last year.Conradie, whose speech was read on his behalf by the NRU’s chief executive officer, Christo Alexander, said that both parties do not only have their corporate interests to develop but their common aim is to develop and grow the game of rugby in all communities.”As of today, the NRU will aim to reach more kids on grassroots level to engage in the game of rugby.After all, the game of rugby is a sport cherished by young people.It builds team values, understanding, co-operation and respect for fellow athletes,” he said.Conradie, a lawyer by profession, said: “A child in sport is a child out of court.”Minister of Sport John Mutorwa, who delivered the keynote address, said the fact that a team or an athlete qualifies to play in a regional, national, continental or international event, must be regarded as a great and significant success by itself.He said the national rugby team had already obtained success merely by qualifying for the World Cup.He said athletes or teams competing internationally should conduct themselves professionally, as they are doing duty for the country.He also urged employers to show their support, understanding and empathy when players who work for them are to represent the country.He said employers should release them from work because they promote the country, for which they could never be sufficiently rewarded.He thanked MTC for being a dependable and reliable partner in Namibian sport.