Australian Rugby Union today announced a new two-year partnership with le coq sportif, which sees the French brand become the new official boot provider of the Qantas Wallabies until the end of the 2012 international season.
While training this summer, the Qantas Wallabies will wear a specially designed Wallabies boot (pictured) in Australia’s iconic green and gold colours, while off the field le coq sportif have also designed two stylish casual shoes for the team to get around in (pictured).
ARU Managing Director and CEO, John O’Neill AO, thanked le coq sportif for their support of Australian Rugby and the Qantas Wallabies in what is a huge year for the game.
“Over nearly 130 years le coq Sportif has enjoyed a proud history of providing their products to a range of different sports and we are very pleased they have come on board in support of the Qantas Wallabies over the next two years,” Mr O’Neill said.
“Having the Qantas Wallabies wearing the boots of one of the world’s premier manufacturers as they look to regain the mantle of the number one Rugby team in the world is fantastic.”
In its almost 130 year history Le coq sportif has been a part of some of the most memorable moments in sporting history including Argentina's Soccer World Cup victory led by Maradona in 1986, Yannick Noah's triumph at Roland Garros in the 1983 French Open and France's 1976 win in the Six Nations Championship.
Brand manager of le coq sportif Oceania, Charles Hurtebize, said the story behind le coq sportif's connection to Australian Rugby started shortly after the brand arrived in the country five years ago.
“Adam Freier and then Al Baxter were among the first Australian players to wear le coq sportif products, and many others, including Benn Robinson and Nathan Sharpe, soon followed their lead,” Mr Hurtebize said.
“Everybody at le coq sportif is delighted to start a new chapter with a team as iconic as the two-time world champion Qantas Wallabies.
“We wish the Australian’s good luck and a lot of success for the 7th edition of the Rugby World Cup.”
