Building on the success of the Olympic InnerGear campaign, rugby stars Steve Borthwick (England captain), Paul Sackey (England winger) and Shane Williams (Welsh winger and IRB World Player of the Year) have been photographed performing their sport stripped of all their performance clothing, captured without their outer gear.
The images highlight their strength, fitness and power and show the effort and commitment that’s put into their training to perform at the top of their demanding sport.
The shots, taken by photographer Alan Clarke, feature the players performing skills integral to their positions and style of play. All three players were specifically chosen to showcase the diversity of skills and talents needed to succeed on the world stage.
The essence of the Powerade InnerGear concept illustrates that what players put inside their bodies and how they prepare is just as important as their sports kit. Research has shown that as little as a 2% drop in hydration can seriously affect a player’s performance.
The images will form the basis of a print, online and outdoor advertising campaign running on billboards, banners and in press throughout the UK during the RBS 6 Nations.
Steve Borthwick said: “The InnerGear for an athlete – how we train, what we eat and drink – is as important as what we wear, and it’s great that this campaign brings it to life. Alan’s images are fantastic and they really capture the essence of what we do every day. It’s one of the most daring shoots I’ve been involved in, but it’s been loads of fun, even if it has given my team mates plenty of ammunition for changing room banter.”
Cathryn Sleight, Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Great Britain, commented: “The Olympic InnerGear campaign was a huge success and offered fans the chance to see and appreciate the tremendous effort athletes like Rebecca Romero put in to becoming gold medallists. An athlete’s InnerGear is vital to achieve success in all sports at any level, and Alan Clarke has captured the essence of this in rugby with the new campaign perfectly. These powerful images offer people the chance to see the real make-up of these global stars and the muscle, power and raw determination it takes to dominate at this level.”
Powerade is the official sports drink and InnerGear of the RFU & WRU. All players will be supplied with Powerade to support their training and performance throughout the RBS 6 Nations tournament.
[Source: Coca-Cola]
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