The site – www.rwandarugby.org – is the “Home of the Rwandan Silverbacks” and outlines the team’s history, development, tours, sponsorship and media coverage, plus a wealth of other information.

The launch is the latest initiative from Hong Kong-based sports PR, publishing and event management company Two Up Front, which has been assisting the Silverbacks on a pro bono basis since 2009.

During that time the team have played their first matches overseas, enjoyed access to elite coaching and won friends and admirers in the world of rugby and beyond.

“Rugby is a fast-growing sport and a huge force for good in Rwanda, so we are justifiably proud of the Silverbacks and their achievements,” said Dr Otto Vianney Muhinda, president of the Fédération Rwandaise de Rugby (Rwanda Rugby Federation).

“We are delighted to see the launch of the official website, which is an important step in the evolution of rugby in Rwanda and another excellent channel of communication for telling the world about the progress we are making as a nation.”

The new website also features extensive photo galleries, including the Silverbacks’ tours to Hong Kong in 2010 and 2011 and domestic tournaments in Kigali, as well as information about how to sponsor and invest in Rwanda’s rugby future.

“The site takes Rwandan rugby in general and the Silverbacks in particular to a new level in terms of access to information,” said Dave Hughes, organiser of the Silverbacks’ overseas tours.

“In this age of instant global communications it is essential that Rwandan rugby is seen to be well organised, modern and progressive, and an official website is vital for making first impressions count. These are exciting times for Rwandan rugby.”

Two Up Front’s rugby portfolio also includes the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens souvenir programme and pocket guide, which it has published since 2005. In addition, the company handles PR, publishing and event management in a variety of other sports, including football, golf and motor racing.

The move comes as Hong Kong football starts to undergo major changes as a result of a Government-backed initiative called Project Phoenix.

Gordon McKie, previously CEO of the Scottish Rugby Union, has been brought in as the HKFA’s new CEO with a mission to improve all areas of local football.

Another key appointment has seen Ernie Merrick, hugely successful during his time in charge of Australian A-League team Melbourne Victory, installed as Head Coach of the senior international team as well as the U19, U21 and U23 representative teams.

Two Up Front will act as the HKFA’s de facto press office, handling media queries, writing and distributing press releases, and advising on PR strategy for a minimum period of three months.

“Improved communication is just one of many priorities for the HKFA as we embark upon a new era for football in Hong Kong, and we are delighted to bring Two Up Front on board to help us with our various public relations and media management activities,” said McKie.

“It’s an exciting and busy time for the HKFA and I’m sure that Two Up Front’s experience in sport and knowledge of the Hong Kong and wider Asian markets will be very helpful.”

One of Two Up Front’s first tasks was to organise a media lunch at HKFA headquarters to introduce Merrick to the media. Some 40 journalists and photographers, including five TV crews, attended the event.

A key date for both the HKFA and Two Up Front will arrive on 29 February when Merrick’s first match in charge will see Hong Kong take on Chinese Taipei in a friendly international at Mongkok Stadium.

Two Up Front also handles PR and media management on behalf of the HKFC International Soccer Sevens and its sports experience extends to elite-level events in rugby, golf, equestrianism, tennis and motor racing.

The Hong Kong-based sports company has reached an agreement to once again handle PR and media management on behalf of the HKFC Citibank International Soccer Sevens as well as publish the souvenir programme.

In addition, tournament organisers have contracted the company to oversee the redesign and build of the tournament’s official website.

“We have been involved in the Soccer Sevens since 2008 and are delighted to maintain our close relationship with this prestigious and exciting tournament,” said Two Up Front editorial director Niall Donnelly.

“In particular, we are especially delighted to be overseeing the relaunch of the official website. Everyone connected with the tournament accepts the site needs a radical overhaul and we are honoured to be given this vital role.

“In this day and age an attractive, informative, up-to-date and easily navigated website is essential for any sports event and we are confident of delivering a site that meets the organising committee’s expectations.”

The Soccer Sevens has been given a huge boost with the news that Citibank has committed to being a long-term supporter of the tournament. The company stepped in at the last minute to sponsor the 2011 event and has now signed a three-year agreement to continue the relationship.

The 2012 Soccer Sevens will be held at Hong Kong Football Club from 18-20 May. The tournament has two categories – a Main competition that features Premier League clubs from England and Scotland and has become famous for unearthing the “stars of tomorrow”, and a Masters section that boasts legends of the game from Europe’s top leagues.

Past winners of the Main competition include Aston Villa (four times), Celtic, Arsenal and Japanese club Urawa Red Diamonds.

The Soccer Sevens is part of Two Up Front’s extensive sports event management, publishing and PR portfolio that also includes rugby, golf and motor racing.

The agreement marks a rare foray outside the sports arena for Two Up Front, which has built a reputation as Asia’s premier sports PR, event management and publishing company.

“The senior executives at Market Force know us very well as they are sports fans as well as businessmen and, having seen the standard of our work, felt comfortable approaching us to handle their website launch,” said Two Up Front project director Simon Wait.

“The duty free business is a departure for us but at the same time it is fascinating to learn about it. From what we have seen so far, competition between operators is every bit as intense as any elite sporting event.”

Market Force (Asia), formed in Hong Kong in 1998, acts as distributor, agent and consultant in Asia-Pacific and the Middle East to a wide range of companies manufacturing jewellery, confectionary, tobacco products, perfumes, wines, spirits and luxury accessories.

Brands include Café Crème tobacco, Adidas Sunglasses, Sidewood Estate wines, Glenbrynth Scotch whisky and Thorntons confectionary.

Hong Kong-based Two Up Front will assist the title sponsor with media liaison, press releases and photographic opportunities during the four-day tournament.

The agreement maintains a relationship which dates back to 2004 when Two Up Front handled event PR at another Omega-sponsored golf tournament, the Hong Kong Open.

“We are delighted to put our sizeable experience of golf event PR and media liaison to good use by assisting our friends at Omega,” said Two Up Front project director Simon Wait.

“We are looking forward to working closely with them in Haikou and ensuring they are able to derive maximum benefit from their title sponsorship of this historic tournament.”

The stellar field in Haikou will feature five Major winners including current Masters champion Charl Schwartzel and US Open title holder Rory McIlroy.

Schwartzel will form a strong pairing for South Africa with 2010 British Open winner Louis Oosthuizen while McIlroy and his predecessor as US Open champion Graeme McDowell will team up for Ireland.

The Omega Mission Hills World Cup – to be held from 24-27 November – marks the fourth occasion that Omega has been title sponsor of the World Cup of Golf.

Hong Kong-based Two Up Front’s extensive publishing, event management and public relations portfolio features a variety of sports, including golf, football, rugby and motor racing.

It will be the eighth year in a row that Two Up Front has edited, designed and produced the acclaimed dual publication.

“We are thrilled to once again be entrusted with the programme and pocket guide and to maintain our central role in the best sevens tournament in the world,” said Two Up Front editorial director Niall Donnelly.

“We guarantee fans at the Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2012 an attractive and relevant publication that will serve as both a vital guide to the event and a valued memento from a brilliant weekend.

“It is a significant time for the Sevens with HSBC returning as co-title sponsor after 15 years away and we are sure they, and other sponsors, will be viewing the programme and pocket guide as a key part of their marketing plans for the tournament.”

The Sevens programme and pocket guide are part of Hong Kong-based Two Up Front’s extensive sports portfolio that includes publishing, event management and public relations in a variety of sports.

Under the terms of the deal, Hong Kong-based Two Up Front will put its vast media knowledge to good use to help Eurosport gain publicity for some of its signature event broadcasts.

It is envisaged these will include Heineken Cup and French Top 14 rugby, Eurocup basketball and the iconic Tour de France cycling race.

“We are very pleased to be co-operating in this manner with Eurosport and are confident we can help them increase media exposure across Asia,” said Two Up Front project director Simon Wait.

Eurosport, the No.1 pan-European TV channel, broadcasts in 20 languages and reaches 126 million homes across 59 countries.

Eurosport Asia-Pacific Ltd oversees all activities of the Eurosport Group in the Asia-Pacific region and has its headquarters in Hong Kong. It produces and distributes the TV channels Eurosport and Eurosportnews as well as several web and mobile products in Asia-Pacific and is responsible for advertising sales in the region.

Two Up Front handles PR, event management and publishing in a range of sports including football, golf, rugby and motor racing.

Italian icon Baresi was in town on Monday (16 May) to launch AC Milan Soccer Schools in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong, and Two Up Front rose to the task of publicising his visit.

Rather than choose a hotel function room or sports facility, the company arranged to stage his press conference at Domani, a high class Italian restaurant perched atop Hong Kong’s bustling Pacific Place shopping mall.

The result was a memorable event that drew almost 50 media who clamoured for Baresi’s views on a range of football topics while restaurant staff served a wide selection of drinks and appetising snacks.

“Franco Baresi and Domani were a perfect match,” said Two Up Front editorial director Niall Donnelly. “Both are Italian and both exude class and quality. The feedback we received from all involved – AC Milan Soccer Schools, the Domani management and the media, was extremely positive.

“We are especially grateful to the management and staff at Domani for their hospitality, which was nothing less than exemplary.”

Sitting alongside Baresi at the press conference were Michele Ferraris, the head of AC Milan Soccer Schools, and Philippe Bru, the managing director of Football for Life Limited, the company which has brought the Soccer Schools to the region.

Following the press conference, Baresi conducted a coaching clinic for youngsters at Happy Valley Sports Ground, an event which also drew considerable media attention.

The press conference and coaching clinic were the centrepieces of a PR campaign designed to raise awareness of AC Milan Soccer Schools and encourage parents to enrol their children.

Baresi spent his entire 20-year career with Milan, making 719 appearances – many of them as captain – and winning the Champions League three times and the Serie A title on six occasions. He also collected 81 Italy caps.

The Soccer Schools launch came just over two months after Two Up Front handled PR and media management for a visit to Hong Kong by Brazilian soccer legend Pelé in his role as honorary president of the revived New York Cosmos.

Last year, the company worked with Manchester United great Cole when he attended the launch press conference for the 2010 HKFC International Soccer Sevens.

Two Up Front also handles PR, event management and publishing in a range of other sports including golf, rugby and motor racing.

The Hong Kong-based sports company ran an innovative PR campaign that capitalised on the presence of Liverpool and Boca Juniors – both making their debuts in the tournament – and that of Everton and England great Peter Reid.

“As always when the Soccer Sevens teams are announced, we looked for publicity angles that would appeal to journalists both at home and overseas,” explained Two Up Front project director Simon Wait.

“Liverpool have a massive Asian fan base and there was a lot of interest in their young squad, so we focused on that and highlighted some of the players coming to Hong Kong, in particular their highly-rated Spanish playmaker, Suso.

“Boca Juniors, meanwhile, were the first South American team to take part in the tournament, so we ensured that the global Spanish-language media were aware of that fact. As a result, the Soccer Sevens enjoyed unprecedented coverage in South America.

“Peter Reid was guest speaker at the pre-tournament dinner and, as a former Manchester City manager and Stoke City assistant, he was ideally placed to give his views on the forthcoming FA Cup final between those two clubs. His exclusive interview with one news agency was given fantastic exposure in the UK.”

Two Up Front also made Hong Kong journalists aware that the goalkeeper for Scottish giants Celtic, young Australian Nick Feely, had been born and raised in the territory – thus adding to the local media interest.

The Soccer Sevens, sponsored for the first time by Citibank, was played from 13-15 May at Hong Kong Football Club in front of excellent crowds. The tournament was won for the first time by newly-crowned Hong Kong First Division champions Kitchee, who beat Celtic 1-0 in the final with a goal from Spanish striker Roberto Losada.

Two Up Front also published the tournament’s official souvenir programme, which included features on Liverpool, Boca, Reid and defending champions Aston Villa as well as match schedules and a guide to all 28 competing teams.

The Soccer Sevens success came just two months after Two Up Front handled PR and media management for a visit to Hong Kong by Brazilian soccer great Pelé in his role as honorary president of the revived New York Cosmos.

The €2.2 million Ballantine’s Championship concluded last Sunday (1 May) with Westwood claiming a thrilling one-shot victory over Spanish veteran Miguel Ángel Jiménez to underline his status as the world’s best player.

The tournament – co-sanctioned by the European and Asian Tours and Korea PGA – was making its debut at Blackstone Golf Club near Seoul after the first three editions were played on the Korean holiday island of Jeju.

Two Up Front continued to play a key role in the tournament’s success, orchestrating a worldwide PR campaign and running the on-site media centre during event week.

“This was the most successful Ballantine’s Championship yet in terms of field quality and international media coverage,” said Two Up Front editorial director Niall Donnelly.

“Media interest in the tournament increased significantly as a result of the profile of the players and the move to a venue close to Seoul, so we adjusted our PR campaign to reflect these changes.

“More than 200 media attended this year’s Ballantine’s Championship and the result was unprecedented levels of coverage both domestically and overseas.

“We have been closely involved in the Ballantine’s Championship since its inception in 2008 and to witness first-hand the tournament’s growth and increasing success is highly gratifying.”

Two Up Front’s impressive golf CV includes handling worldwide PR and running media centres at almost 20 European Tour events in Asia.

The Hong Kong-based company recently acted as PR consultants to global watch giant Omega at the Mission Hills Star Trophy pro-celebrity tournament in China and it also organised last month’s launch press conference for the Ageas Corporate Golf League – Hong Kong’s first downtown inter-companies golf competition.