R.M.Williams and Rugby Australia have today announced a multi-year partnership that will see two of Australia’s most iconic institutions reunited.
As an Official Partner of teams in gold, most notably the Wallabies and Wallaroos, R.M.Williams will undertake a number of collaborations and dressing opportunities with the players, as well as the introduction of a licensed product offering in 2023.
The agreement reaffirms R.M.Williams’ commitment to the sport, supporting the national teams as Australian Rugby enters its Golden Decade, with a Women’s World Cup next month plus a World Cup for the Wallabies in 2023 and a Lions Tour in 2025.
Following its highly acclaimed creation of uniforms for the nation’s finest athletes at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, this deal also reinforces R.M.Williams’ long-term ambitions of supporting Australia’s sporting stars.
Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos believes the partnership with one of Australia’s best loved brands is a natural fit with the national Rugby teams.
“I am proud and delighted to welcome R.M.Williams back to Rugby,” said Marinos. “The Wallabies and R.M.Williams have always been an ideal match as iconic Australian brands – to be able to extend this partnership across all our national teams is especially satisfying. We look forward to a successful partnership with R.M.Williams as we continue to grow Rugby all around Australia.”
R.M.Williams co-owner and director Nicola Forrest AO said with R.M.Williams now back in Australian hands, the company was excited to forge a new alliance with the Wallabies and Wallaroos – two teams deeply engrained in Australian sporting heritage.
“Born in the Outback 90 years ago, our boots have been inspired by the resilience and endurance of the Australian people – and that unique national quality is no better represented in sport than by the Wallabies and Wallaroos,” Forrest said.
As an Official Partner of the Wallabies, Wallaroos and Australian Sevens teams, R.M.Williams will be outfitting the sport’s top players in its world-famous leather boots, crafted by hand at the R.M.Williams workshop in Adelaide. Built to last and recognised as a symbol of homegrown excellence, the boots are a perfect match for the Australian national Rugby teams.
Currently celebrating 90 years in business, R.M.Williams’ story of Australian resilience is also a fitting one for Rugby Australia, as the teams prepare to represent their country on the world stage in the coming years.
In addition to supplying boots, R.M.Williams will proudly launch a licensed product offering in collaboration with Rugby Australia around key moments in the Rugby calendar. The range will offer fans of both brands an opportunity to wear their support for the teams in gold.
Regular attendees to official Rugby Australia matches and events can also expect to see the iconic R.M.Williams Hut popping up at locations across the country, accompanied by players and representatives of the Wallabies and Wallaroos, offering a unique opportunity for fans of the sport to discover the handheld craftsmanship at the heart of R.M.Williams.
Paul Grosmann, CEO of R.M.Williams said: “We’re delighted to partner with Rugby Australia as it embarks on an exciting new chapter. Both ourselves and Rugby Australia are very keen that this partnership extends beyond a traditional sponsorship agreement so we’re particularly excited by the opportunity to create a licensed product offering and to bring the game to our customers in the heartland of Australia, as well as those in the key cities.”
