Alphabet has provided its longstanding customer, the Rugby Football Union (RFU), with 90 branded Mini Countrymans to help keep its community rugby coaches across the UK on the road.

RFU, whose official vehicle partner is BMW, joined forces with Alphabet in 2012. The three-year partnership to provide rugby coaches around the UK with vehicles has seen a forward-thinking approach to mobility from the RFU. It was the first organisation to adopt Alphabet’s corporate car sharing scheme, AlphaCity. Alphabet also supply RFU with contract hire and maintenance along with AlphaRent and Driver Risk products.

The 90 Mini Countryman have replaced previous vehicles on a three-year contract. Each Mini is branded with the official RFU logo. Forty-five of the Minis were handed over to the community coaches during a presentation at the prestigious Cunard Terminal at Southampton docks. The remaining 45 were presented to the England Rugby coaches at Thorne, the BMW and Mini distribution centre in Doncaster.     

Alisha Bird (pictured), fleet co-ordinator at RFU said: “Our relationship with Alphabet has gone from strength to strength, and the range of products we have in place suits our needs perfectly. The smooth handover of the RFU branded Minis is a great example of how Alphabet goes above and beyond to support us.”

Chris Cole, corporate account manager at Alphabet added: “We are proud to be supporting RFU in ensuring its community coaches get to and from training sessions as efficiently and effectively as possible. By supporting Alisha and the team, we are helping the RFU to support the rugby players of the future.” 

• RFU was named 'most improved fleet of the year' at this year's Fleet News Awards. To find out how it achieved it, read an interview with Alisha Bird in the December 17 issue of Fleet News.