FOLLOWING the loss of the Jersey Reds in 2023, CoinShares’ support of Jersey Rugby Football Club “is huge for the future of the sport on the Island”, according to the club’s chairman.
The Jersey-headquartered investment company has become the lead sponsor of Jersey RFC, with a three-year commitment spanning to July 2026, which involves the renaming of the ground to CoinShares Park.
A significant part of the agreement includes the financing of a rugby development officer, a role filled by former Jersey Red and current Jersey RFC men’s coach Myles Landick.
With both the men’s and women’s first teams top of their respective divisions, and an ever-flourishing minis and juniors section, chairman Dan McAlister said that the “protection of Jersey RFC’s future” from top to bottom is paramount.
“CoinShares support is huge for the future of rugby in Jersey,” he said.
“Primary and secondary schools’ participation figures have really struggled in recent years due to the pandemic and other factors.
“What we now have with the implementation of a rugby development officer is the platform to support schools and pupils within that want to play.”
Both Landick and RFC Women’s coach Simon Le Moignan take serious pride in the volume of Jersey-born players in their matchday squads – a stark reminder of how much the sport has become a strong pillar of the local community.
Despite the demise of Jersey Reds in the wake of their Championship-winning season, Jersey RFC’s first team squads regularly get more than 600 local fans along to watch their league fixtures.
McAlister added: “The word sustainable gets used a lot in many different contexts.
“But the idea is that if we can improve the product, bring the girls and boys coming through the academy, then that will make the position of the senior sides stronger.
“It also means that if we have homegrown talent readily available, that’s how sustainability is obtained.
“We have to do what we can to both grow the sides and move up through the divisions, but also ensure we live within our means and protect the club.
“For us, it wasn’t just the money from a corporate sponsor. It was what they represent that really struck a chord with us.
“A lot of our beliefs are aligned and they are really understanding of what the sport of rugby offers to the Jersey community.”
