LV= sponsors the Anglo-Welsh rugby clash

LV=, the insurance, investments and pensions group, is the new appellation sponsor of the LV= Cup, rugby's Anglo-Welsh tournament. The antagonism is accordingly managed by the Rugby Football Union (RFU) and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU). The antecedent two-year accord for the LV= Cup, with an advantage to renew for a added two years, will body on LV='s absolute investment in Rugby Union and aswell accompaniment its LV= County Championship advocacy in cricket.* The top contour LV= Cup is a 16-team antagonism involving the 12 English Guinness Premiership clubs and four Welsh bounded teams. This year's antagonism commences on 5 November and the final will be played in March 2010 at a aloof area to be confirmed. The closing winner, if an English club, will accretion a abode in the Heineken Cup for next season. The clash already has a broadcaster, with Sky Sports committed to announcement the LV= Cup. They will awning one abide bout per round, additional the semi-finals and final, for the next 5 years. The antagonism aswell has a committed adherent abject with an boilerplate of 8,500 assemblage at anniversary basin bold over the endure three years, and 55,000 accessory endure April's final at Twickenham Stadium. The RFU, WRU and LV=, as able-bodied as Premier Rugby Limited (PRL) and Regional Rugby Wales, which baby-sit the teams arena in the competition, accept all accordingly committed to abundantly advance the LV= Cup application absolute channels and media. David Radford, LV=Group Marketing Director, commented: "We are captivated to be extending our advocacy interests in rugby with The LV= Cup. As an accretion business we see The LV= Cup accouterment a acceptable fit with our ambition audiences and we’re admiring to put our abutment abaft this accepted competition." Francis Baron, Rugby Football Union (RFU) Chief Executive, added: "The Anglo-Welsh Cup is affluent with ancestry and history addition aback over abounding years, abundant like LV=. This year's clash promises to be as agitative and harder fought as anytime with the ultimate cost of a abode in the Heineken Cup on action for any English club that wins. In accession we accept the new anatomy will accord players, coaches and supporters an agitative clash that embodies all that's best about cross-border knockout competition, and added showcases the game." Roger Lewis, Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) Chief Executive, concluded: "Anglo-Welsh rivalries are a allotment of the oldest in apple rugby and this antagonism will already afresh activity a huge aggregate of action from players, coaches and fans. The Welsh Rugby Union has consistently championed this antagonism and so we actual abundant acceptable LV= as appellation sponsors of the clash and Sky as host broadcaster. We attending advanced to addition division of top chic rugby amid the best English clubs and our Welsh regions." - ends - NOTES TO EDITORS: * LV= has been the appellation sponsor of the LV= County Championship, the arch calm candid competition, back 2002. LV= is aswell a sponsor of Harlequins RUFC. About LV= LV= is a registered brand of Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) and a trading appearance of the Liverpool Victoria accumulation of companies. The LV= insurance, investments and pensions accumulation employs added than 3,800 people, serves over 3.6m barter and members, and manages about £7bn on their behalf. The aggregation is aswell the UK's better affable association (Source: Association of Friendly Societies Key Statistics 2009) and a arch alternate banking casework provider, alms barter car insurance, home allowance and biking insurance. Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society Limited (LVFS) is authorised and adapted by the Financial Services Authority, annals number. 110035. LVFS is a affiliate of the ABI, AMI, AFS and ILAG. Registered address: County Gates, Bournemouth BH1 2NF. PR Contact: Ed Forbes Media Relations Manager LV= 80 Cheapside London EC2V 6AA 020 7634 4344 www.lv.com