Savills has announced its sponsorship of the Imart (International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament) World Cup to be held at Musgrave Park in Cork between June 5 and 10 next.
Some 1,100 players both with and without disabilities, from 14 countries including Ireland, England, Scotland, Wales, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Canada, Argentina and New Zealand will come together to play rugby under the same world rugby laws as the 15-a-side game with only minor adaptations such as uncontested scrums.
This will be the third worldwide mixed-ability rugby showcase to be promoted by Imas (International Mixed Ability Sports) and supported by the IRFU. This year’s event will also feature the first-ever KPMG-sponsored women’s mixed -ability rugby tournament.
The mixed-ability model – championed by Imas – encourages social inclusion by removing barriers to participation for people who feel unable to join mainstream grassroots clubs or groups due to physical or learning disabilities, mental health issues, size, shape, age, prolonged inactivity, or a perception of “not being good enough”.
Commenting on his company’s decision to sponsor the event, Peter O’Meara of Savills said: “We are delighted to be given the opportunity to be a part of such a momentous event, not just for Cork, but for the country. From our discussions with the Imart team we know how hard they have fought to bring this event to Cork and what passion they have displayed to bring this to fruition.
“Mixed-ability rugby is exactly the type of initiative the whole country needs to champion – it’s built on an ethos of diversity and inclusion – something which businesses and people alike should foster in their every day lives as much as possible. We are behind these teams 100 per cent and look forward to seeing what’s in store in the weeks ahead.”
Liam Maher of Imart said: “Savills’s endorsement means a great deal to us. Having the support of businesses such as this will help us to deliver the very best event that we possibly can”.
