Guinness to sponsor Six Nations for next six years

Guinness has been confirmed as the sponsor of the Northern Hemisphere competition for the next six years effective from 2019 edition.

The tournament will rebranded as Guinness Six Nations from the next year's edition with the drink's giant promising £6 million for the first year and is expected to grow annually according to a report from The Times.

The £6 million seems to be way downward for the competition that saw Natwest paying £9 million last year for the 2018 edition.

This also ends Royal Bank Scotland's 14-year association with the tournament with the unions deciding to take on the long-term offer from Guinness.

Commenting on this the new partnership, Six Nations CEO Benjamin Morel said: "We are absolutely delighted to enhance our long-standing relationship with GUINNESS and they will be a terrific title sponsor for Rugby's Greatest Championship. GUINNESS are world leaders and our partnership between two great iconic brands will enable us to reach new audiences on a global scale.

"We could not be more excited to be working with the GUINNESS team over the coming years on developing new and innovative ways to connect with our fans and consumers."

Diageo President for Europe, Turkey and India, John Kennedy said: "We are really looking forward to the start of the GUINNESS SIX NATIONS in February 2019. Working with the Six Nations, we want to enhance both the Championship and the fan experience whilst using the partnership to encourage the adult fans watching, or attending, the games to drink responsibly."

Mark Sandys, Global Head of Beer, Baileys and Smirnoff at Diageo said: "This announcement affirms our long-standing support for the game of rugby and cements our position as one of the world's biggest rugby supporters. We truly believe in the power of sport to connect communities and we'll be working with the Six Nations to ensure that fans' experience of the GUINNESS SIX NATIONS is their best yet."

Meanwhile, it is understood the Rugby Football Union interim chief Nigel Melville will look to convince the other five nations about reducing the tournament to six weeks from seven every fourth year to allow British and Irish Lions gain more time for their preparation.

“If, every four years, we move the Six Nations from seven to six, you create that extra week," said Melville.

“So every four years, why don’t we do that? It would be better preparation for the Lions so they have that week of preparing. That would make a difference.

“When I was a Lion, I understood what it was all about. It’s a balance. We’ve got to get movement in that fourth year. This is another way of looking at it; be a bit more creative.”