James Shepherd (2-L), Managing Director South and West Asia of Aggreko International Power Projects hands over the sponsorship cheque to Upali Gunasekara, Principal of Royal College. The multinational company Aggreko International Power Projects who are sponsoring mega world sporting events, namely the Rugby 7s World Cup in Dubai and the Winter Olympics in 2010, extended its support to Royal College rugby yesterday. Also in the picture are (from left): Thio Serafim, Hareen Malwatte, Ajith Pasqual and Athula Munasinghe. (Pic by Sujatha Jayarathne)

Aggreko International Power Projects, a multinational company who sponsors mega world sports events, has come forward to sponsor Royal College rugby for the upcoming season.

The multinational company, which has operated here for 15 years, pledged its support to Royal rugby at a function held at the College premises, Colombo, yesterday and handed over a sponsorship cheque to the College authorities to a value of an undisclosed sum.

James Shepherd, Managing Director, South and West Asia of Aggreko International Power Projects, said that the company was pleased to associate with a prestigious educational institution of the country.

"We are pleased, as a company that has operated in Sri Lanka for 15 years, to associate with a school that has a done well in both academic and sports fields," Shepherd told the media.

"As a college that has nurtured rugby in the country, we like to see the development of this sport further at Royal College. It’s our hope that the players whom we sponsor today may represent the country one day," added Shepherd who had played rugby himself representing Scottish Under-18 International team during his school days.

Aggreko International is the sponsors of the Rugby 7s World Cup held in Dubai and the Winter Olympics 2010. The Royal College authorities expressed their expectation that the partnership with the Aggreko would continue for years to come.