ASB sponsors Rugby World Cup 2021

ASB has announced that it is the official sponsor of Rugby World Cup 2021, which will be held from Oct. 8 to Nov. 12.

The sporting event, which was postponed from last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, will host 12 women’s teams in Auckland and Whangārei for the quadrennial tournament. Tickets are now on sale.

“ASB are long-term sponsors of the Black Ferns, and we are excited to have them on board in a wider capacity with Rugby World Cup 2021 and helping us to supercharge women’s rugby with some exciting community announcements to follow shortly,” said Michelle Hooper, tournament director of the Rugby World Cup 2021.

ASB chief transformation officer Lohit Kalburgi said the financial group’s sponsorship is a natural extension of its long-standing support of rugby, in partnership with New Zealand Rugby (NZR).

“We have been a proud partner of NZR since 2015, supporting the Black Ferns, All Blacks and Māori All Blacks,” Kalburgi said. “The Black Ferns have had an incredible past few years, winning the 2017 World Cup and gold at the Tokyo Olympics, and we’re excited to be by their side as they take on the world again, right here in New Zealand. Rugby is in Kiwis’ blood, and we’d love to see a sell-out Eden Park for the Black Ferns’ first Rugby World Cup match against Australia on Oct. 8 – let’s be sure the team knows the country is behind them.”