Five Nations searches for 4m sponsor

The UK’s most prestigious rugby union competition, the Five Nations Rugby Championships, is looking for a sponsor.

The Five Nations committee, based in Dublin, has contacted a number of companies in search of sponsors for the competition between England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and France.

It will be the first time the competition, which has been held since the beginning of this century, has been sponsored. Sports agents think the deal will be worth between 3m and 4m a year.

The committee consists of two delegates from each of the five countries involved in the competition. It sells its own TV rights and finds its own sponsorship opportunities.

Chief executive of the committee Roger Pickering was unavailable for comment.