Gallagher has been confirmed as sponsor of the Granite Trophy, as a combined Channel Islands team prepares to face an in form Poland side in the next chapter of the growing international fixture.
Poland will arrive in the islands in strong form, having climbed from 37th to 30th in the World Rugby rankings over the past two years. Featuring a blend of home based players and those playing professionally in France, Ireland and the UK, the White and Reds recently recorded a 72–3 victory over Sweden in the Rugby Europe Trophy. That result marked their ninth win in ten Trophy matches across 2025 and 2026, securing promotion to the 2027 Rugby Europe Championship, where they will face leading European nations including Georgia, Portugal, Spain and Romania.
The Granite Trophy was inaugurated in May 2025, when a combined Channel Islands squad took on Sweden at Footes Lane, Guernsey. Watched by a crowd of more than 2,000 supporters, the opening contest produced an entertaining, high scoring encounter, with the Channel Islands running out 66–28 winners.
Jersey RFC Chair Dan McAlister said: “We’re delighted to have secured the fixture with Poland, which provides an exciting and high quality way to kick off the 2026/27 season against an international side that is clearly on the rise. It’s also superb to welcome Gallagher as sponsor of the Granite Trophy. As title sponsor of the Gallagher Prem in the UK and a long standing supporter of rugby at all levels in the Channel Islands, their backing reinforces the ambition of this fixture and will help establish the Granite Trophy as a standout event in the Channel Islands rugby calendar.”
Gallagher is a global insurance, risk management and advisory firm, with a strong local presence in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man as the parent company of Rossborough. The group also has a long standing connection to rugby and sport at both community and professional levels. Its sponsorship of the Granite Trophy underlines a continued commitment to supporting rugby of all levels in the Channel Islands.
Poland will arrive in the islands in strong form, having climbed from 37th to 30th in the World Rugby rankings over the past two years. Featuring a blend of home based players and those playing professionally in France, Ireland and the UK, the White and Reds recently recorded a 72–3 victory over Sweden in the Rugby Europe Trophy. That result marked their ninth win in ten Trophy matches across 2025 and 2026, securing promotion to the 2027 Rugby Europe Championship, where they will face leading European nations including Georgia, Portugal, Spain and Romania.
The Granite Trophy was inaugurated in May 2025, when a combined Channel Islands squad took on Sweden at Footes Lane, Guernsey. Watched by a crowd of more than 2,000 supporters, the opening contest produced an entertaining, high scoring encounter, with the Channel Islands running out 66–28 winners.
Jersey RFC Chair Dan McAlister said: “We’re delighted to have secured the fixture with Poland, which provides an exciting and high quality way to kick off the 2026/27 season against an international side that is clearly on the rise. It’s also superb to welcome Gallagher as sponsor of the Granite Trophy. As title sponsor of the Gallagher Prem in the UK and a long standing supporter of rugby at all levels in the Channel Islands, their backing reinforces the ambition of this fixture and will help establish the Granite Trophy as a standout event in the Channel Islands rugby calendar.”
Gallagher is a global insurance, risk management and advisory firm, with a strong local presence in the Channel Islands and Isle of Man as the parent company of Rossborough. The group also has a long standing connection to rugby and sport at both community and professional levels. Its sponsorship of the Granite Trophy underlines a continued commitment to supporting rugby of all levels in the Channel Islands.
