Mazda Chosen To Partner Gillette Four Nations Rugby League Tournament

DARTFORD, UNITED KINGDOM – Oct 26, 2011: Mazda is supplying a fleet of cars to the Rugby League International Federation as the Official Vehicle Partner to the 2011 Gillette Rugby League Four Nations tournament which kicks off on 28 October in Warrington.

The Four Nations fleet, which comprises two diesel-powered Mazda5 compact multi-activity vehicles and four spacious Mazda6 Estate cars, will be used to transport England international players, match officials and VIPs to the tournament’s seven matches and to a series of promotional events including school visits to publicise the exciting sport to the star players of tomorrow.

This year’s top Rugby League event will see teams from England, Wales, Australia and New Zealand battling for glory at six venues across the UK including Warrington, Leigh, Wembley Stadium (hosting a double-header with two matches on 5 November), Hull and Wrexham, with the final held at Elland Road, Leeds on 19 November.

“We are delighted to have secured this invaluable support from Mazda during this major competition,” stated Steve McNamara, England Team National Coach. “We chose Mazda for our new Four Nations fleet because both the Mazda5 and Mazda6 combine practicality and comfort with great looks and a truly sporty character that echoes the spirit of our sport. In fact, many of our staff already drive Mazda3s.”

Jeremy Thomson, managing director for Mazda UK commented, “The sport of Rugby League requires athleticism, performance and stamina, attributes which resonate with those of the Mazda range – sporty design, responsive handling, driving performance and great durability. The Gillette Four Nations brings four of the world’s best teams together, head to head, at some of the UK’s best sporting venues for a world-class sporting challenge that complements our brand.”

Like Rugby League, Mazda continuously strives to improve its performance and is preparing to launch its sixth generation model range in early 2012, starting with the all-new Mazda CX-5 compact crossover SUV.

Complete with Mazda’s groundbreaking SKYACTIV Technology, each new model over the next decade will deliver class-leading fuel consumption and significantly lower CO2 emissions, while retaining Mazda's fun-to-drive characteristics.