The Tribute Award went to Thatcham RFC for the month of February 2022.
Another of the teams who have been finding the league structures a challenge post covid were Thatcham who at the beginning of the season were suffering from a long injury list. In the past few weeks and into February they have found their groove and with returning players have had some strong performances.
The largest one was after a heavy defeat to their near neighbours Reading the team put in a big shift to beat Bicester 15-8. This was a great turnaround where in the first fixture (only two weeks earlier) they were beaten 59-5
They followed this up with an even better performance against promotion chasing 3rd placed Aylesbury who they won in a tight match 18-7.
This week they travel to relegation rivals Gosford All Blacks but with the fast improving team performances the side are quietly confident that they can continue to improve and give themselves a real fighting chance of avoiding the drop.
Tribute have tripled the size of their sponsorship deal with the South West Rugby Football Union (SW RFU). Their flagship beer, Tribute Pale Ale, has renewed and extended its partnership with the SW RFU and now sponsors all South West Leagues of the RFU.
Previously, they sponsored leagues in Cornwall, Devon, and Somerset, but the contract has now been significantly expanded across almost 400 teams in more than 35 leagues. The South West Leagues of the RFU consists of teams from nine different counties including Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Dorset and Wiltshire, as well as Cornwall, Devon and Somerset.
Tribute has been the official beer of the South West for over a decade and we’re delighted that the partnership will be expanding into six new regions. The brand has become symbolic of rugby across the region, and we take pride in the fact that its ongoing, successful partnership with the SW RFU can be associated with the footprint of local sport.
“We’re delighted to renew and expand our partnership with the South West Rugby Football Union. We have enjoyed every moment of it and look forward to seeing what the future will hold. As a business that has roots in many wonderful communities across the South West, it is fantastic to be able to support something as integral to community life as local level sport. We are honoured that we can continue to support so many players in their passion for rugby!”
Laura McKay, Head of Marketing for St Austell Brewery’s Beer & Brand
“Renewing and expanding our partnership with St Austell is a testament to the fantastic relationship we have with them. We truly admire St Austell’s dedication to its local communities, and value the business’s commitment to local-level sport. Now that we can hold fixtures once again, we look forward are proud that we will continue to have St Austell Brewery’s ongoing support.”
Mike Gee, Secretary of the South West Rugby Football Union
