Bangkok Lions confirm Leicester Rugby Global Partner Club status

This week, Leicester Tigers Rugby Club confirmed the details of the deal we announced in June 2019, that the Bangkok Lions have joined the English Premiership Club’s Global Partner family.

Leicester Tigers Global Partner Club

In a press release, the Leicester Tigers cemented the deal with the Thailand based rugby club by saying: “Leicester Tigers are proud to announce the inclusion of Bangkok Lions as their latest Global Partner Club, which currently comprises of six teams from around the world.”

In our article last year, we reported that the Bangkok Lions had voted in to join as a Global Partner Club. With the announcement this week, they join the following rugby clubs as a Global Partner in which the Leicester Tigers “support opportunities for the game to grow around the world.”

• Kuala Lumpur Tigers (Malaysia)
  

  Photo Credit: Leicester Tigers

• Dendermonde RFC (Belgium)
• Delhi Hurricanes (India)
• Rugby Colorno (Italy)
• RC DIOK (Holland)

Bangkok Lions RFC

The Bangkok Lions Rugby Football Club (BKK Lions), is a youth rugby club which was formed in 2004 with a mission to “Promote and develop rugby amongst the Thai and expatriate youth of Bangkok. The club aims to create a unique family environment with involvement from parents and regular social functions.”

Both clubs will seek to “replicate the model to grow the game further in Thailand and beyond” similar to the partnership the English club has with Kuala Lumpur based KL Tigers.

Scott Clarke, head of community and global partnerships for Leicester Tigers, said: “Supported by close relationships to schools, the Lions uniquely focus solely on the junior game, providing a platform for youngsters to get involved in a nurturing environment which supports their development…..

Strong family values and a desire to build on what they already do led to the next stage of becoming a Tigers Global Partner and we look forward to supporting them in 2020 with coach development and building a wider offer to the community to include a Tigers Rugby Camp for the first time in Thailand.”

Rugby Partnerships in Asia

As we mentioned previously, Saracens, also a well known UK professional rugby club, also has a Global Club network with a partner team in Malaysia (KL Saracens).

In our interview with Christophe Marchive, from CA Brive, he confirmed he is first French Top 14 rugby club ambassador appointed to Asia. He also mentioned growing interest in the region from other French rugby clubs.

The Global Rapid Rugby tournament which has its first full season in 2020, also has a Hong Kong-based club in the South China Tigers, a Malaysian-South African partnership with the Malaysian Valke as well as one more to be determined Asian based team.

Want to see more Asian rugby news?

• Read our Guide on the best International Asian rugby tournaments in 2020.
• Best tournaments in Asia in January 2020.
• Vietnam set to have a Rugby Federation.
• The Hanoi Tens is this January.