Canterbury Rugby Club and its principal sponsor, The Marine Travel Company, have agreed an eight-year naming rights deal.

The club’s headquarters will be known as The Marine Travel Ground Merton Lane.

The new title brings with it a five figure boost to the city club which is in the second year of a ten-year partnership with the Kent company.

Helping the rugby club to further its role in the community has been the motivation behind the enhanced deal says The Marine Travel Company Managing Director David Thompson.

Welcoming the new backing the club’s Commercial Manager, Giles Hilton, said: “This extra funding is great news. It will enable us to enhance our offering to the club’s junior teams from Under 15s to 18s and ensure we have the best pathway for home grown talent to progress into senior rugby.”

“The income will fund the new Lead Coach for these age groups, Mark Livesey.”

The Marine Travel Company, which is based in Canterbury, provides travel resources and crew logistics for the marine and related industries worldwide and is a leader in its field.

The company has been a committed supporter of the rugby club and gives extensive backing to community sport at both local and national level.

David Thompson said: “I and my company are honoured to be a part of this great community club – it’s the special people and volunteers that make the club so great giving up their time for free to make the club tick.”

“We are just delighted to be able to help financially in some small way to assist the club in giving the tools needed by these people to make the role a little easier”

Meanwhile, the Club has won the RFU Community Engagement Award for forging links with schools, colleges, universities, businesses, community groups and people that traditionally have had little contact with the game.