Opel Expands Irish Rugby Partnership with New Brand Ambassadors

Published on 12 February, 2025

Brand new Grandland for Mack Hansen and Calvin Nash

Overview

Opel Ireland has announced the appointment of Irish Rugby internationals Mack Hansen and Calvin Nash as brand ambassadors. Both players have been presented with a new Opel Grandland and join an existing lineup of six female rugby ambassadors: Amee Leigh Murphy Crowe, Stacey Flood, Linda Djougang, Aoife Dalton, Béibhinn Parsons, and Aoife Wafer.

This announcement follows Opel’s recent renewal of its partnership with the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), securing its position as the exclusive car partner until 2028. The four-year extension, confirmed in late 2024, strengthens Opel’s commitment to Irish Rugby, which began in 2021.

Strengthening the Opel-Irish Rugby Connection

James Brooks, Managing Director of Opel Ireland, expressed his enthusiasm for the brand’s growing association with Irish Rugby:

“I am immensely pleased to see yet another facet of our partnership with Irish Rugby come to life. Opel's support for our women's players over the last three years is clear, and we have delighted in seeing our female ambassadors grow into international stars, making history and qualifying for the Olympics in 2024 and the Rugby World Cup in 2025. Our Drive the Passion programme has also provided hundreds of Gilbert rugby balls to clubs nationwide.”

He continued: “I warmly welcome Mack and Calvin to our ambassador programme. Their strength of character, rugby flair, and determination have propelled them to the top of their game. We wish them every success in their club and international campaigns for 2025.”

Mack Hansen and Calvin Nash: Rising Rugby Stars

Mack Hansen was born in Australia and qualifies to play for Ireland through his Cork-born mother. He made his international debut during the 2022 Guinness Six Nations Championship, earning a Player of the Match award in a victory over Wales. He quickly established himself as a key player for Ireland, earning 27 caps to date and securing multiple Player of the Match titles. Hansen played a pivotal role in Ireland’s 2023 Rugby World Cup campaign and featured in the opening game of the 2025 Guinness Men’s Six Nations Championship against England.

Calvin Nash, originally from Crecora, County Limerick, captained the Ireland U20s team during the 2017 Six Nations Under 20 Championship and the 2017 World Rugby U20s Championships. By 2022, he was selected for the Emerging Ireland squad and earned his first senior international call-up for the 2022 Autumn Nations Series. Nash has accumulated nine senior caps for Ireland, scoring in both the 2024 and 2025 Guinness Six Nations Championships.

Opel’s Commitment to Irish Rugby

Opel’s partnership with the IRFU includes providing a fleet of passenger cars and light commercial vehicles to IRFU personnel. Since first aligning with Irish Rugby in 2021, Opel has actively supported both men’s and women’s rugby, reinforcing its position as a key sponsor in Irish sport.

With its latest ambassador appointments and extended sponsorship agreement, Opel continues to strengthen its ties with Irish Rugby, supporting players at both national and grassroots levels.

Sinead McCann

Sinéad is our resident car tester who has the unenviable (-ok, slightly enviable) task of reviewing all the latest new cars to hit the market. You can follow her on Twitter @smcani and on Instagram @whatshedrives