Three-year sponsorship deal signed

Rugby

The Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Football Union has signed a three-year sponsorship deal with Trust House that includes the community-owned company receiving naming rights for the Heartland Championship team, now to be known as Trust House Wairarapa-Bush.

"Trust House's support will help us continue to provide rugby at all levels," said Wairarapa-Bush Rugby Football Union chief executive Tony Hargood. "It is a new friendship between our two organisations which have forged their names deep within the Wairarapa community over many decades and which continue to touch large numbers of people."

Trust House chief executive Allan Pollard said the sponsorship was about helping bring the community together through rugby.

"Pairing up with rugby was a natural fit for us because it involves so many local people and that same community owns Trust House."

The deal reconnects Trust House with the Wairarapa-Bush Heartland team which it last sponsored in 2008 and builds on its earlier support for Trust House Memorial Park.

Mr Hargood said the Heartland competition provided a pathway for provincial players to progress further into professional rugby.

"It's a chance for our players to perform on the national scene and for the Wairarapa community to enjoy twelve teams from around New Zealand playing on their doorstep."

Trust House Wairarapa-Bush will wear their new strip when the 2013 Heartland competition kicks off on August 24.

Their first game is against North Otago in Oamaru. Four home games will be played in Masterton before the semifinals in mid-October.