Optimum Nutrition, the world's #1 sports nutrition brand, today unveiled a new partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), becoming the Official Performance Nutrition Partner of Irish Rugby. This landmark collaboration powerfully underscores Optimum Nutrition's dedication to fuelling elite athletic performance and its strong roots within Irish rugby.
Through this strategic alliance, Optimum Nutrition will deliver nutritional support to all IRFU teams, including the national men's and women's squads. This ensures players will receive high-quality performance nutrition, including Optimum Nutrition's Elite Series range, directly bolstering their rigorous training regimes, and supporting player recovery as they prepare and compete throughout their seasons.
The launch of this exciting partnership will be spearheaded by long-standing Optimum Nutrition ambassador and Irish rugby star Hugo Keenan, representing the men’s game. Complementing this, Optimum Nutrition is delighted to welcome Ireland Women’s backrower Erin King on board as an ambassador to further amplify and support the partnership. After the positive performances at the Women’s Rugby World Cup and looking ahead to the Quilter Nations Series and Guinness Men’s and Women’s Six Nations, Optimum Nutrition will be giving supporters a chance to win tickets to the Quilter Nations Series games in Dublin this November. Stay tuned to the Optimum Nutrition social channels for all the details.
Beyond high performance, the collaboration will actively connect with the wider public, educating consumers on the vital role of nutrition in achieving fitness aspirations, whether on the pitch or in daily life. This initiative seeks to empower individuals to unlock their full potential, highlighting that with the right training, nutrition, and commitment, extraordinary achievements are within everyone's reach.
Hugh McGuire, CEO of Glanbia commented: “We’re very proud to team up with the IRFU – an organisation that shares our dedication to fuelling performance. As an Irish company behind the world’s No.1 sports nutrition brand, we believe in the power of nutrition to unlock potential in everyone. This partnership builds on two decades of supporting rugby in Ireland and reflects our commitment to helping athletes perform at their best. We’re delighted to continue our collaboration with Hugo Keenan and to warmly welcome Erin King to our team for this partnership launch. Together with the IRFU, we’ll work to support and fuel athletes to perform at the highest level, while also helping consumers understand the benefits of Optimum Nutrition products for achieving both elite performance and everyday fitness, health and nutrition goals."
Billy Murphy, Chairperson of the IRFU Commercial & Marketing Committee added: We are delighted to welcome Optimum Nutrition into the Irish Rugby family. Glanbia’s commitment to excellence and product quality aligns fully with our dedication to providing our athletes with the best support available. This partnership will be instrumental in supporting players' performance and recovery, and we are particularly keen on the opportunity it presents to promote the importance of nutrition and performance principles within the broader rugby community and beyond.”