Champ Rugby Secures Multi-Year, Purpose-Led Partnership

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Champ Rugby is delighted to announce a multi-year partnership with contract caterer Elior UK, becoming the title sponsor of the Rugby Football Union’s (RFU) Tier 2 competition, in a relationship built on shared values, community impact and a commitment to health and wellbeing.

Under the new agreement, the competition will be known as Elior Champ Rugby. This is a significant new chapter for the league and a major step forward in Elior UK’s investment in sport, culture and social value. The agreement marks the first title sponsorship for the league in over six years and reflects a shift towards purpose-led collaboration, where commercial success and social impact go hand in hand.

At the centre of the partnership is a strong alignment of purpose. Both organisations place people, wellbeing and opportunity at the centre of what they do – from Champ Rugby’s mission to grow competition following and interest, while strengthening clubs, players and communities nationwide, to Elior UK’s focus on nutrition, healthier lifestyles and its lifetime of enrichment social-value programme.

Together, Champ Rugby and Elior UK aim to champion the role of food, health and community in supporting performance on the pitch and positive outcomes off it, helping players, fans and local communities thrive.

Champ Rugby is English rugby’s biggest supporter, connecting grassroots communities with the professional game and providing a ‘Proving Ground’ for future stars. It is the second tier of men’s rugby and is played by both professional and semi-professional players. Featuring 14 teams across the country, the league delivers strong regional reach, local engagement and a powerful platform for community support.

Brian Facer, Head of Champ Rugby, said:

“At Champ Rugby, we exist to grow the game, develop people and strengthen communities. Elior UK shares that same commitment to driving opportunity and long-term impact. This is about fuelling futures - investing in healthier lifestyles, stronger clubs and the next generation of players and fans.”

“This is far more than a sponsorship - it’s a partnership built on shared values,” said Catherine Roe, chief executive officer at Elior UK."

“We’re championing nutrition and healthier lifestyles and supporting local communities and future talent. This collaboration enables us to bring our purpose to life in a meaningful and impactful way.”

Craig Stewart, divisional managing director, stadia at Elior UK added,

“Our experience delivering food and hospitality in the stadia sector makes us a natural partner for Champ Rugby. This partnership allows us to apply that expertise in a way that supports clubs, communities and the future of the game.”

Activation is now rolling out in the final quarter of the season, with the league transitioning to Elior Champ Rugby branding across broadcast, digital and in-stadium environments.

Elior UK already has a strong presence within UK sport, including established partnerships at Scottish Rugby’s Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium, and with Glasgow Warriors. The Champ Rugby collaboration builds on this foundation while extending Elior’s impact deeper into regional communities.

Photo: Left to right: Craig Stewart, Managing Director, Stadia and Events, Elior UK / Catherine Roe, CEO, Elior UK / Leni Savva, CFO, Elior UK / Brian Facer, Head of Champ Rugby

About Champ Rugby

Champ Rugby is the professional second tier of rugby union in England. Featuring 14 teams across the country, it is English rugby’s biggest supporter and is the crucial link in the pathway from grassroots to the top of the game. On the field, talent is handed an opportunity at the elite level, off the field, Champ Rugby lives for the growth of the game, connecting people and communities.

For further information view here.

About Elior UK

Elior UK operates high profile catering contracts across the B&I, health & care home, defence, education, stadia and heritage sectors. It provides customers with a bespoke offer that focuses on great food, drink and customer service and couples it with the benefits that a large company brings. Elior UK is part of Elior Group which operates worldwide with annual revenues of €5.8billion.

For further information view here.

About Elior Group

Founded in 1991, the Elior Group is a world leader in catering and multiservice, and a benchmark in the world of business, education, health, social and leisure. Enjoying robust positions in 9 countries, the Group achieved pro forma revenue of €5.8 billion in 2023. Its 133,000 employees feed 3.1 million people every day in 20,200 restaurants on three continents and provide services in 6 countries.

The Group is based on an economic model built around innovation and social responsibility. In 2004, the Elior Group signed up to the United Nations Global Compact, reaching advanced level in 2015.

For more information view here.

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Aug 28, 2024
2 min read

Williams Racing announces that Franco Colapinto will race with the team for the remainder of the 2024 FIA Formula 1 World Championship season and will compete from the Italian Grand Prix alongside Alex Albon. He will use the race number #43.

Franco is a member of the Williams Racing Driver Academy and made his FP1 debut in this year’s FW46 at the British Grand Prix. His F2 campaign this year has seen him secure a race win in Imola and podiums in the Barcelona and Austria Feature races, as well as seven further points-scoring outings.

The 21-year-old will become the 49th Grand Prix driver for Williams Racing*, is the first Argentine driver in F1 for 23 years and the second Argentine to drive for the British outfit, following his countryman Carlos Reutemann.

The team would like to take the opportunity to thank Logan Sargeant for his hard work and contribution over the past two seasons. He has competed in 36 Grands Prix and, at the US GP last year, became the first American driver to score an F1 point since Michael Andretti 30 years prior. Logan will remain in the Williams family and we will support him to continue his racing career. Franco Colapinto:

“It is an honour to be making my Formula 1 debut with Williams – this is what dreams are made of. The team has such amazing history and a mission to get back to the front which I can’t wait to be part of. Coming into F1 mid-season will be an enormous learning curve but I am up for the challenge, and I’m fully focused on working as hard as I can with Alex and the team to make it a success.”

James Vowles, Team Principal:

“To replace a driver mid-season is not a decision we have taken lightly, but we believe this gives Williams the best chance to compete for points over the remainder of the season."

"We have just brought a large upgrade to the car and need to maximise every points-scoring opportunity in a remarkably tight midfield battle. We also believe in investing in our young drivers in the Williams Racing Driver Academy, and Franco is getting a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate what he is capable of across the final nine rounds of the season."

"This is undoubtedly incredibly tough on Logan, who has given his all throughout his time with Williams, and we want to thank him for all his hard work and positive attitude. Logan remains a talented driver and we will support him to continue his racing career for the future. I know that Franco has great speed and huge potential, and we look forward to seeing what he can do in Formula 1.”

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Champ Rugby Secures Multi-Year, Purpose-Led Partnership

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