DHL Signs on as Official Logistics Partner of Rugby Canada During Their Quest for the Rugby World Cup

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 10, 2014) - DHL, the world's leading logistics provider, and Rugby Canada today announced that DHL will be the Official Logistics Partner of Rugby Canada heading into the 2015 Rugby World Cup and beyond. The partnership, which officially launched on June 7^th, when the Canadian Senior Men's Team faced Japan at Swangard Stadium in Burnaby, BC, will see DHL provide international shipping services for the national men and women teams in their bid to climb the 15s and 7s international rankings.

"We are very excited to be joining forces with Rugby Canada to support this great sport in Canada and match the world class performance that fans will surely be treated to on the pitch," said Andrew Williams, Vice President - Sales, DHL Express Americas. "DHL sees tremendous synergies between a sport that is built on teamwork, passion and a will to win and the values that we strive to bring to life every day for our customers."

"Rugby Canada is proud to partner with DHL Express, a global leader in logistics," said Graham Brown, CEO - Rugby Canada. "This strategic business partnership will enable both organizations to leverage the growing momentum in the sport of rugby throughout Canada and around the globe. The DHL logo will be proudly displayed on our National Senior Men's and Women's 15s and 7s teams as they prepare and compete for both the 2014 (Women's) and 2015 (Men's) World Cups as well as the 2016 Summer Olympic Games."

As the official logistics sponsor, DHL will ship kit, exercise and scrummaging equipment to all Rugby Canada matches internationally, removing significant logistical burdens from the international squads and allowing them to focus on their play on the field. DHL will also support Rugby Canada's commercial activities, shipping merchandise to Canadian stores and stadiums. DHL will also help fund Rugby Canada's development programs through financial support.

The partnership will be announced on Tuesday, June 10 at 12:30 p.m. at BMO Field, Toronto.

The partnership between DHL and Rugby Canada continues a longstanding relationship between DHL and the game of rugby. DHL is the Official Logistics Partner of Rugby World Cup 2015, having held this same role at the 2011 games in New Zealand. The company was also a naming rights sponsor of the recent 2013 British & Irish Lions Tour of Australia. In addition to their work with the Canadian national team, DHL currently partners with Harlequins in England, the DHL Stormers in South Africa, the Irish Rugby Football Union and a number of tournaments within the IRB Sevens World Series. Other initiatives by DHL to support rugby development around the world have included partnerships with Rugby Federations, tournaments, clubs and school programs as far afield as Fiji, Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, and Romania.

Rugby is the fastest growing sport in the world, played in over 100 countries. A total of 102 million global viewers watched the Final of Rugby World Cup 2011.

DHL - The Logistics company for the world

DHL is the global market leader in the logistics industry and "The Logistics company for the world". DHL commits its expertise in international express, air and ocean freight, road and rail transportation, contract logistics and international mail services to its customers. A global network composed of more than 220 countries and territories and about 285,000 employees worldwide offers customers superior service quality and local knowledge to satisfy their supply chain requirements. DHL accepts its social responsibility by supporting environmental protection, disaster management and education.

DHL is part of Deutsche Post DHL. The Group generated revenue of more than 55 billion euros in 2013.

For more information: www.dpdhl.com

About Rugby Canada

Rugby Canada is the national governing body of the sport of rugby union in Canada. Rugby Football has a long history in Canada dating back to its initial appearance in the 1860s. Since 1974, Rugby Canada has been a permanent fixture on the global rugby scene, including trips to each of the six IRB Rugby World Cups. As a regular on the IRB Sevens Circuit, Canada continues to climb the world rankings and challenge the dominant rugby nations in both versions of the game.

To support the growth of rugby at the grass-roots level and to ensure there are elite programs for prospering young rugby players to become involved with, Rugby Canada has put an emphasis on developing its junior programs. Our goal is to develop and train a competitive team for the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. We also continue to be a world leader in the development of women's rugby. Currently the women's teams at the national, club and high school levels are flourishing all across the country.

Twitter: www.twitter.com/RugbyCanada

Facebook: www.facebook.com/RugbyCanada

YouTube: www.youtube.com/RugbyCanada

Website: www.rugbycanada.ca