Rugby professionals score with Computacenter

	Jonny Wilkinson at the PRA Rugby Awards

IT services provider Computacenter has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the rugby community with a two-year partnership with the Professional Rugby Players Association (PRA).

Under the agreement, which will run until summer 2004, Computacenter will provide a range of services to the association and its members, including supplying IT equipment and delivering computer skills training. The PRA, which has more than 400 members, is a non-profit making trade union dedicated to the welfare of professional rugby players.

Adam Austin, Director of Marketing at Computacenter, commented: “The PRA’s work with rugby players – past and present – is invaluable, and we are delighted to be able to renew our support for the Association and its aims.”

The new agreement also means that Computacenter will continue to be title sponsors of the PRA awards dinner, which will be held in London next week. This will be the third year running that Computacenter has sponsored the dinner, which is the Association’s flagship event.

Damian Hopley, PRA CEO commented, “Computacenter’s support is of huge benefit to the PRA and its members. Not only does it help raise money for our benevolent fund by supporting the awards dinner, it also offers invaluable IT training courses, which enable players to expand their skills in preparation for when they leave the game.”

Computacenter, which has a dedicated training division, has already provided a one-day course in Microsoft Word, Excel, Windows and the Internet to the London Wasps and Leeds Tykes. “IT is obviously an integral part of all industries, and the PRA is pleased to offer this training as one of the many services we provide for our members,” added Hopley.

Computacenter has a long association with rugby, and provides the data and statistics for the RBS Six Nations Championship. Computacenter’s statistics were introduced in 2000, and include match analysis and individual player performance for the Investec Autumn internationals series and the RBS Six Nations Championship.

“Our core business is about enabling other businesses to grow through efficient and innovative use of IT. We are applying this same philosophy to rugby union, and will continue to work with the sport to help achieve the vision of a European team winning the World Cup by 2007,” commented Austin.

Visit www.computacenter.com/rugby to see all the latest rugby statistics.

Visit the official PRA Rugby website