South African Breweries Ltd (SAB) has secured the title sponsorship of the prestigious tour of South Africa by the British & Irish Lions rugby union team in a US$2.5 million deal with South Africa Rugby.

The agreement means the tour will be known in South Africa as the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series, after the brewery's popular Castle lager.

"This sponsorship not only reaffirms SAB's commitment to South African rugby and its fans, it also rubber stamps the company's support for traditional rugby tours, which have vanished over the past few years," said Ian Penhale, SAB's marketing director.

"The rich tradition and camaraderie associated with this unique tour reflect the very values of SAB. True rugby fans have been yearning for the traditional rugby tours, and the British & Irish Lions tour has earned a reputation as the last of the great rugby tours. So we are proud for Castle Lager to be associated with this prestigious event.

"This is a limited edition tour and everything about it is special. We want the Castle South Africa 2009 Lions Series to be the tour that stands the test of time."

South Africa Rugby Union (SA Rugby) president Oregan Hoskins said: "The British & Irish Lions tour is like a mini Rugby World Cup to me. Its significance and uniqueness makes the tour important for SA Rugby and the nation, and we are honoured to host the team. We think this will be the best British & Irish Lions tour yet."