England: The Drop
England rugby fans faced the ultimate test of their Commitment to the Rose today, as they took to the skies to unveil the new Rugby World Cup shirt from over 12,500 feet in the air.
As the nation prepares to unite behind the rose in this special Rugby World Cup year, Canterbury and England Rugby gave three England fans the incredible chance to perform an exclusive tandem jump with the Red Devils over the English countryside, before launching the new England Rugby World Cup shirt in mid-air.
Following a morning of intense training, the specially selected supporters made the ascent to 15,000 ft. before launching themselves out of a plane with a giant replica of the shirt from Canterbury. Each fan was partnered for their tandem jump with a member of the Red Devils, the official parachute display team of both The Parachute Regiment and the British Army.
To complete their unforgettable experience, the fans were greeted at the end of their descent by England players Sam Burgess, Geoff Parling and Henry Slade, who presented them with their very own England Rugby World Cup shirts for this year’s tournament.
The ground-breaking fan experience comes as the centrepiece of the ‘Launched by the Loyal’ campaign from Canterbury, rewarding fans who demonstrate their Commitment to the Rose by putting them at the very heart of the new shirt launch. The fans involved on launch day had all demonstrated their commitment by signing up to pre-order their new England Rugby World Cup 2015 shirt before the design had been revealed.
Speaking about the relationship between the national team and the supporters, England Lock Geoff Parling said; “It was great to have the chance to meet some of the fans today in such exciting circumstances. Jumping out of a plane at 12,500 feet is pretty committed! The players know how important the power of the nation’s support will be at a World Cup on home soil and we’re delighted that they are already a part of our journey.”
Describing the innovative fan launch, Canterbury CEO, Chris Stephenson, said; “Fans are at the heart of our campaign and we wanted to reward their commitment to the rose by giving them the chance to launch the England Rugby World Cup shirt in an extraordinary and innovative way. This continues to demonstrate Canterbury’s commitment to the game in a truly exciting way, and we look forward to what will be a fantastic Rugby World Cup.”
Canterbury’s most innovative shirt yet features the first ever 3D moulded crest in the shape of the famous England rose.
The new England Rugby World Cup 2015 shirt from Canterbury is available now for pre-sale, and in stores from Friday 17th July, as well as at Canterbury.com and EnglandRugbyStore.com
