Michelin to Host Nationally Televised International Rugby Match in CharlestonTop French Team to Play U.S. National Team on ESPN Classic; Tickets Now Available at tickets.com
GREENVILLE, S.C. and CHARLESTON, S.C., May 29 /PRNewswire/ -- The top French rugby team Clermont-Auvergne will test its mettle against the U.S. national rugby team, the USA Eagles, in the first-ever international rugby exhibition match played in the state of South Carolina on Aug. 9. The match, hosted by Michelin North America, will be held at Blackbaud Stadium on Daniel Island in Charleston and will be televised live at 8 p.m. EDT on ESPN Classic. Tickets are available starting May 30 at 10 a.m. EDT at tickets.com. Tickets start at $20. A limited number of VIP tickets are also available that include access to the Three Lions Club (at Blackbaud Stadium) and include complimentary food and beverages. To purchase tickets please visit www.tickets.com . For groups of ten, VIP tickets or for more information, please call the Blackbaud Stadium box office at 843-971-4625. South Carolina-based Michelin North America will be the presenting sponsor for the first "Michelin Challenge Rugby" event. Since 1911, the Clermont-Auvergne rugby team has been sponsored by the Michelin Group in its home city of Clermont-Ferrand, France. Clermont-Auvergne currently sits atop the standings in the country's Top 14 division and leads its main rival, Toulouse, by nine points in the standings. "Michelin has a long history of engaging in racing competition," said Michael Fanning, vice president of corporate affairs, Michelin North America. "In August, we will be hosting a different type of sporting competition that features the second fastest growing spectator sport in the world. By working in concert with USA Rugby, Michelin is bringing another international dimension and a great competitive match to our South Carolina home." "As the world becomes increasingly smaller, we're finding sports that are popular in other areas of the world now making their way into U.S. homes," said Nigel Melville, CEO and president of rugby operations for USA Rugby. "That's why international competition such as Michelin Challenge Rugby is so important -- it gives us the chance to expose more Americans to this exciting and rapidly growing team sport." Clermont-Auvergne's visit to the state will begin in Greenville on Aug. 4, when players will train on the campus of Furman University. Furman's growing rugby program offers the team an existing, regulation rugby field -- or pitch -- and an extensive fitness center. The team will also host rugby clinics aimed at sharing rugby rules and techniques with young Upstate athletes. "During the past two years, eight high school rugby clubs, including a team at Greenville High, have been founded in South Carolina," said John Roberts, Furman's rugby coach and director of internal and electronic communications. "We are thrilled that one of Europe's top teams has chosen to spend some time with us, and we hope their presence will spark more interest in the sport here in the Upstate." "As we prepare for this exciting international match, we are grateful for the support of the state of South Carolina, the Greenville and Charleston Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Furman University, the Citadel and the Palmetto Rugby Union," said Michelin's Fanning. "We also will be announcing in the near future the availability of sponsor packages for those who wish to be part of this exciting event, which we hope to grow in the future." About USA Rugby The USA Eagles rugby team represents the United States around the world in international rugby play. USA Rugby currently fields 11 national teams under the Eagle umbrella, Men's and Women's 15s and sevens, the Women's Under-23 Team, the Collegiate All-Americans, the Men's and Women's Under-20 Teams and the newly formed Men's Under-19, Boys Under-18 and Boys Under-17 Team. Being chosen to play for one of the USA's representative sides is an honor bestowed upon only a select few players each year. About Clermont-Auvergne Rugby Association Sportive Montferrandaise (ASM) Clermont Auvergne is a French rugby union club from Clermont-Ferrand in Auvergne that currently competes in Top 14, the top level of the French league system. The club was founded in 1911 as AS Michelin, and changed its name in 1922 to AS Montferrandaise. For a time after it adopted its current name in 2004, the club was frequently referred to as Montferrand both within and outside of France. About Furman Rugby Founded in 1998, the Furman Rugby Club (www.furman.edu/furugby ) is one of the top small-college rugby programs in the nation. Furman teams have compiled a record 124-40-1 and have won three national Division III titles, finished runner up twice and have collected five Rugby South Championships. The club is currently raising funds to construct an on-campus rugby stadium. The team was founded and is coached by John Roberts. About Michelin North America Dedicated to the improvement of sustainable mobility, Michelin designs, manufactures and sells tires for every type of vehicle, including airplanes, automobiles, bicycles, earthmovers, farm equipment, heavy-duty trucks, motorcycles and the space shuttle. The company also publishes travel guides, hotel and restaurant guides, maps and road atlases. Headquartered in Greenville, S.C., Michelin North America (www.michelin-us.com ) employs more than 22,300 and operates 19 major manufacturing plants in 17 locations.
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