Scottish Rugby today announced that it has finalised a new four-year kit sponsorship deal with Canterbury of New Zealand. The ground-breaking arrangement is the largest commercial deal Scottish Rugby has secured and extends the eight year relationship with Canterbury.Scottish Rugby today announced that it has finalised a new four-year kit sponsorship deal with Canterbury of New Zealand. The ground-breaking arrangement is the largest commercial deal Scottish Rugby has secured and extends the eight year relationship with Canterbury. Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive, Gordon McKie, said: We’re proud of our long-standing partnership with Canterbury, an iconic rugby brand, which produces kit that is hugely appreciated by players and supporters alike. This new deal will take us through until the 2011 Rugby World Cup and will ensure that our national teams can benefit from Canterbury’s existing knowledge of our supply chain requirements which will complement their high quality kit and recent innovative technical advances. The deal will see Canterbury continue to have the exclusive rights to supply home and alternate technical playing and training gear as well as cutting-edge performance boosting undergarments – Canterbury’s IonX BaseLayer – to the Scotland team, Scotland A, Scotland 7s, Scotland Women, Scotland under-20, Scotland under-19, Scotland under-18 and Scotland under-17. Each of the teams’ playing kit will feature Canterbury’s trademarked Ionised Energy Fabric that has been proven to enhance performance and recovery. Joe Middleton, CEO, Canterbury of New Zealand, said: The deal underpins Canterbury’s commitment to the development of Scottish Rugby and further enhances our positioning as the leading technical sportswear company in rugby. Scotland players will also benefit from the research and development being undertaken by Canterbury in producing new clothing and equipment technology. Mr Middleton added: The Canterbury brand has rugby at its very heart and we are proud to announce this important extension to our sponsorship of Scottish Rugby. Working with an international side such as Scotland – a team with such a rich heritage – is a perfect fit for us.