npower renewables, core sponsor of Welsh rugby giants Ospreys, has extended and expanded its sponsorship of the Magners' league winners for a third season, delivering a much needed shot in the arm for grassroots clubs.

Through the sponsorship, npower renewables and Ospreys will be able to provide greater and wider support to local clubs and their communities, such as the 'kits for clubs' initiative, helping them invest in a broader range of initiatives and so open up new sporting opportunities to a wider audience.

Announcing the sponsorship, Managing Director of npower renewables Kevin McCullough said: "Our business has over 100 years proud association with Wales through the delivery and operation of our renewable energy projects.

Through our sponsorship of Ospreys, one of the most community focused rugby clubs in the country, we are proud to be able to strengthen this association further.

"Our renewable energy projects make a significant contribution towards looking after the Welsh environment, generating long lasting, clean power with little carbon footprint. And through the sponsorship of Ospreys rugby we aim to continue our tradition of working closely with Welsh communities too. Rugby has traditionally been a lynchpin helping to unite and strengthen local communities. We hope that through our partnership with Ospreys we can offer much needed support and encouragement to help grassroots clubs continue that tradition, forging stronger and more sustainable communities across Wales."

Ospreys Joint Managing Director Roger Blyth said: "It gives us enormous pleasure to announce that this lucrative sponsorship agreement is to be extended into a third season. Ospreys enjoy a very productive relationship with npower renewables that has benefited rugby at all levels across the region, from our first 15 to every school and club in Ospreylia.

"We pride ourselves on the strength of our community work, and the support of npower renewables is key to our overall strategy of working for and with every club across the region to create a stronger region. This outlook is no doubt key to npower renewables' desire to continue this sponsorship, as they too pride themselves on their ongoing commitment to working with local communities.

"npower renewables is an innovative company and one of the UK's leading developers of green energy in the UK, just as the Ospreys lead the way on our own field. The mutual benefits of this relationship are clear to see and we are confident that it will continue to go from strength to strength throughout 2007/08 and beyond."

npower renewables' groundbreaking sponsorship of Ospreys began in 2005 and was the largest in regional rugby, topping £300,000 over two years. Since then, the sponsorship has enabled scores of local schoolchildren to find out more about the club and renewable energy through its stadium tours. Hundreds of local young players have competed in the Junior Ospreys Cup, while even more have benefited from top flight training through the work of Ospreys' community rugby development officers and summer and Easter training camps.

The continued sponsorship takes the initiatives even further. The community rugby development team has been expanded, taking training to more schools and clubs across the region. More training support and equipment will be provided for teachers to continue the top flight training throughout the season, while a women and girls development programme will also be enhanced to target the growing number of new players in this section of the game.

The 'kits for clubs' initiative has proved particularly popular and is being expanded as a result of the renewed sponsorship. Many clubs are already eager to sign up to receive quality Kooga rugby kit at a discounted price. All the strips will feature the Ospreys and the npower renewables logos on the collar, helping to strengthen links within the region between the Ospreys, their primary sponsor and the region's member clubs. This initiative is saving clubs across the community up to £400 per team strip, with an overall potential saving in excess of £100,000. In turn, this is freeing up much needed revenue that the clubs can reinvest where it is needed most.

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