A GWENT rugby team are celebrating after scoring a commercial partnership with a private airline company.

Yesterday Pontypool RFC announced the club’s major partnership with SaxonAir for the 2016/17 Welsh Rugby Union National Championship campaign.

The deal will see SaxonAir being displayed on the rear primary position of the iconic Pontypool RFC jersey, in addition to numerous marketing initiatives to raise awareness of the airline.

SaxonAir director, Christopher Mace, said: “SaxonAir is delighted to have partnered with one of the foremost historical Welsh rugby clubs in Pontypool RFC for the coming Championship campaign.

“Providing a quality and convenient travel solution to sporting events all around the country forms a substantial part of our remit to our diverse client base.

“We view our partnership with Pontypool RFC as the perfect opportunity to showcase our ability to transport small and large parties to their desired destination with an exceptional level of service.”

“But first and foremost, the club has demonstrated a huge ambition to bring silverware back to Pontypool this season and we look forward to taking that journey with them over the next year,” he added.

On welcoming SaxonAir to the club, Pontypool RFC chief executive officer, Ben Jeffreys, said: “It is great to have SaxonAir join our commercial family”.

“We are thrilled to have aligned with one of the fastest growing private air charter operators in the United Kingdom,” he said.

“The partnership is a demonstration of our ambition to further advance Pontypool RFC off the field as a rewarding commercial proposition for any ambitious organisation, with the central goal of enabling us to continue to achieve great things on the field.

“SaxonAir share our ambition for success and approach their objectives with the same positive culture that we strive for at Pontypool."

He added: "I have no doubt that our shared values will lead to a highly successful partnership between both parties.”

SaxonAir is a British-based private charter airline based in Norwich International Airport and charters in the UK and Western Europe.