Asian investment bank Nomura steps in to support the Varsity Match after Lehman Brothers collapse
 

Nomura, the Asia-based investment bank, has announced its exclusive four-year sponsorship of rugby's varsity match. This year's match is the 127th Oxford v Cambridge varsity rugby game and will be known as The Nomura Varsity Match. Kick off is at 2pm on Thursday, 11th December, at Twickenham Stadium.

Sadeq Sayeed, Chief Executive of Nomura's acquired businesses, said: "We're delighted to be building on our existing relationships with two of the world's top universities and look forward to continuing this in the future". Excited It appeared for a time that the match would be without a sponsor, as its previous sponsor was collapsed investment bank, Lehman Brothers. But Nomura, who have bought many of the assets of the now defunct Lehman stepped in at the last minute. Paul Vaughan, the Rugby Football Union's Business Operations Director, said: "The annual varsity match is always well supported by the universities' passionate fans. It's a huge occasion in the build up to Christmas and an important part of the Twickenham fixture list. We're extremely pleased that Nomura has agreed to sponsor the match for the next four years and excited about our new partnership with the company". England Attack Coach, Brian Smith, who represented Oxford in the 1988 and 1989 matches, echoed those sentiments. "Playing in the Varsity Match is a really unique experience", he said. "You could play forty times for your country but you may only ever get to play two   Varsity matches and that’s if you’re lucky. I captained Oxford in 1989 and I remember the fans were so passionate and energetic and a real mix of people from students to city bankers. For the players and fans it’s a massive fixture in the rugby calendar". Nomura is a leading financial services group and the pre-eminent Asian-based investment bank with worldwide reach. Nomura provides a broad range of innovative solutions tailored to the specific requirements of individual, institutional, corporate and government clients through an international network in 30 countries. Relationship Based in Tokyo and with regional headquarters in Hong Kong, London, and New York, the company employs about 18,000 staff worldwide. Lord Butler, President of OURFC, said: “We welcome and are deeply grateful for Nomura's decision to take over the sponsorship of the Varsity Match. We look forward to a mutually beneficial relationship with Nomura, which is bound to reinforce our links with the Japanese universities with which we have had greatly valued contacts for many years."