Today’s announcement will bring to a close what is one of the longest running, most high-profile and most successful sponsorships ever seen in the sport of international Rugby Union.

RBS became the title sponsor of the Six Nations in advance of the 2003 Championship. Since then the Bank has worked very closely with the Six Nations Council, Six Nations Rugby and its constituent Unions and Federations in building and promoting the pre-eminent annual rugby competition in the world.

John Feehan, Chief Executive, Six Nations Rugby, acknowledged the strength of the long standing relationship: “All good things must come to a natural end at some point. As mutually beneficial as the relationship is, it is now time after 15 successful and fulfilling years to seek a new title sponsor to partner our great event and go forward with us into the future.

“We wish to extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to RBS for the valuable support we have received from the Bank over many years. We look forward to our final year with RBS in 2017 and we will wish them well in the future, as they also move on to other opportunities and initiatives.”

David Wheldon, Chief Marketing Officer, RBS said, “RBS has sponsored the Six Nations since 2003 and it has been a long and successful partnership which has brought tangible benefits to our business.  However, as a bank we are now looking at realigning our sponsorship strategy to our customer facing brands, so we feel the time is right to look for alternative sponsorship assets that better fit with our brand strategy.

“As we focus back on our home markets in the UK and Ireland, we have decided not to renew the sponsorship beyond 2017.  We are delighted to have had the opportunity to play our part in supporting the development of the Six Nations Championship into the global spectacle it is today and in supporting the strong contribution it makes to the economies in which it is rooted.”

Six Nations now begins the search for a new Title Sponsor for the 2018 Six Nations Championship and onwards. It is expected that the process will continue for several months and a new Championship Title Sponsor will be announced in due course.