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Peugeot try their hand at rugby

If there are two things that the Hoot team love more than great value young driver car insurance it's driving a stylish and fabulously smooth Peugeot, such as the 207, and watching an action-packed rugby match.

Peugeot has had a relationship with rugby for more than ten years. This year is no exception as the car manufacturer is an official partner of the Rugby World Cup 2007, which kicked off on 7th September with France Vs Argentina. However, the hosts of this year's events did not make their way to victory in the opening match and the Argentinean's won 17-12. Hoot Car Insurance Services is sure that this won't dampen French spirits and that the country responsible for Peugeot will go on to fight for the title.

For those of you who don't know, rugby, or rugby union football, is a game played out of doors by two teams of 15 players who tackle one another for possession of an oval shaped ball. Each game lasts 80 minutes and the aim is to score tries and goals. A try consists of grounding the ball within the in-goal area and is worth five points. A goal, on the other hand, is scored by kicking the ball between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goal posts. A penalty or drop goal is worth three points and a conversion, awarded after a try is scored, is worth two points.

Some of you may be wondering why Peugeot have got into the scrum with rugby so we have come up with a few explanations:

Rugby and Peugeot are loved the world over by enthusiasts, young and old.

The French are passionate about rugby and Peugeot, a sport in which they are tipped as one of the favourites to win and the second largest automaker in Europe.

Rugby is a tough and exhilarating game that involves players showing their power, determination, dedication, speed and accuracy, qualities comparable to Peugeot.

France compete against England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and Italy in the Six Nations Championship just as Peugeot compete against the top car manufacturers including Volkswagen, Ford, BMW and Vauxhall.

This particular collaboration between Peugeot and rugby started back in 2005 when Peugeot signed a partnership agreement with Rugby World Cup Limited, making them one of the official partners. The other part of this agreement states that Peugeot will be the transporter for the sporting event, making sure that teams make it safe and sound to the games.

However, Peugeot has been connected with rugger since it became a partner of Stade Toulousain, a French sports club that specialises in rugby and have been French Champions 16 times as well as European Champions 3 times.

Then in 2000, Peugeot Argentina became official partner of the federation and of the national team, Los pumas. In this same year Peugeot UK signed up as the official sponsor of Coventry Rugby Club, home team of ex-England Internationals Graham Robbins and Peter Rossborough.

In 2001 the French car manufacturer thought they would give something back to the new generation of rugby players in France and South America by creating Peugeot Kid's Cup, an amateur competition open to under 13s in Toulouse and Uruguay.

The year 2003 marked the first association between Peugeot and The World Cup when they signed up as the Official partner of the Rugby World Cup 2003, where Jonny Wilkinson scored a breathtaking drop goal in the last 26 seconds of the final to steal the title from Australia in Sydney.

Peugeot extended its relationship with South America in 2006 by taking up its place as the official partner of the federation and of the national teams in both Uruguay and Chile, which brings us right up to the here and now.

England is due to play their second game of the tournament against South Africa on 14th September but it remains to be seen which of the 20 rugby nations competing in this year's World Cup will grasp the cup from the England boys when the final whistle blows on 20th October. We can tell you now that all the guys and gals down at Hoot Car Insurance Services will be poised in their seats and yelling "Swing Low Sweet Chariot" with all their might, whatever the result.

For more information check out the Peugeot rugby website at www.peugeotrugby2007.com.