Huawei moves into South African rugby with wide-ranging deal

Chinese telecommunications company Huawei has become the official smatphone, tablet and talkband supplier to the top five South African rugby union teams.

The deal sees Huawei partner with the DHL Western Province, the Vodacom Bulls, the Cell C Sharks, the Emirates Lions and the Toyota Cheetahs.

In addition, Huawei will also be an official associate sponsor to the Lions, with its logo featuring on the sleeve of the team’s jersey. Huawei have said this is the first sponsorship deal to involve all of the country’s top five rugby unions.

Players and management from the five unions behind the teams will receive the latest smartphone offerings from Huawei, as well as Huawei’s ‘TalkBand’ fitness trackers.

“Adding to Huawei’s sports sponsorship portfolio, we believe this new opportunity will allow us to showcase Huawei’s latest technology which will assist the players in tracking and monitoring their performances,” said Huawei’s product marketing director for South Africa, Yudi Rambaran.



“It is also evidence of the increasing role that technology plays in the lives of sports stars and their supporters.”

In October, Premier Soccer League team Ajax Cape Town reached a two-year agreement to make Huawei its official shirt sponsor. The deal marked Huawei’s first sponsorship move into the South African market.