March 22, 2004, London:- NIG, one of the UK’s leading insurance providers, is to become an Official Partner of the England Sevens Team.

NIG’s partnership kicks off at the end of the month when the England Team travel to the Hong Kong Sevens and on to the Singapore Sevens on April 3 & 4 on the Far Eastern leg of the 2003/4 IRB Sevens Series Circuit.

NIG is also on board for the final two tournaments of the circuit, the Bordeaux Sevens (May 28 & 29) and the London Sevens at Twickenham over June 5 & 6, which will decide the final Sevens rankings for the year.

‘We are delighted to welcome NIG into our family of partners at the RFU and we look forward to developing a mutually-beneficial and long-lasting relationship,’ said Joe Lydon, England’s Sevens coach.

‘England is looking to go one better than last year and top the Sevens world rankings and it is with the support of companies like NIG, that we are able to develop the game, improve our standards and achieve our aims.’

So far this season England have won the South African Sevens and currently lie in second position just 16 points behind arch rivals and reigning world number ones New Zealand in the 2003/4 in the world rankings.

‘Sevens rugby is not only fast, furious and exciting to watch, but it is becoming increasingly important in the international rugby calendar so we are pleased to partner the England Sevens Team,’ commented David Grant, NIG’s Marketing Director.

‘This partnership underlines our commitment to supporting the developmental side of Sevens rugby following our sponsorship of Scotland’s Sevens Development Team, the NIG Scottish Thistles, from 2001 through to 2004.It also forms part of NIG’s Support & Development Programme backing Scottish Development.’

NIG is also involved in rugby at club level with Leicester Tigers where the company sponsors the NIG Tigers Academy Player of the Month Award and the annual NIG Challenge between Tigers and The Barbarians.

For further information and/or photographs, please contact the following:

Lynn Parker, PR Manager, NIG
020 7656 6094
Email: lynn.parker@nig-uk.com

Helen Heady, OPL, on behalf of NIG:
020 8743 7797 w
07966 491 509 m
Email: headypr@aol.com