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Three Clubs, One Goal: Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas Supports Grassroots Rugby
Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas, Main Opel Dealer and supporter of Irish rugby, recently demonstrated its commitment to the local rugby community by donating Opel Gilbert rugby balls to three clubs —Portarlington Rugby Club, Blessington Rugby Club, and Tallaght Rugby Club. As a proud sponsor of Irish Rugby and the official car partner of the IRFU, Opel is dedicated to supporting local clubs by providing essential equipment that can positively impact the rugby community. 
Opel’s Drive the Passion initiative aims to reach even more teams in 2025, having already collaborated with dozens of clubs across Ireland since late 2023, with the donation of hundreds of size-4 balls for youth and size-5 balls for adult teams. 
Figure 1: Shane Dewar from Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas presenting Opel Gilbert rugby balls to Alex and Ely Mihajlovic from Portarlington Rugby Club.
Shane Dewar, Sales Manager at Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas, took great pride in delivering the rugby balls to the clubs. He remarked, “At Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas, we’re thrilled to support these clubs as they nurture the next generation of rugby talent. We wish all the teams the best of luck for the season ahead.”
Figure 2: Shane Dewar presenting rugby balls to David and Lily from Blessington Rugby Club
Club representatives expressed their gratitude for the generous donations. Lauren Richardson from Blessington Rugby Club said, “This contribution means a lot to us. Having high-quality training equipment like Gilbert rugby balls helps our players refine their skills and boost their confidence on the pitch. We’re incredibly thankful to Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas and Opel Ireland for their continued support.”
Figure 3: Shane Dewar presenting rugby balls to Tony, Caolin, and Gráinne from Tallaght Rugby Club.
This is not the first time Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas has contributed to the local rugby scene. In 2024, the dealership supported Naas RFC’s U13 team by donating a set of high-quality Gilbert rugby balls, further demonstrating their dedication to youth rugby. Fitzpatrick’s Opel Naas remains steadfast in their support for grassroots rugby through initiatives like the Drive the Passion programme. 
Clubs interested in applying for rugby ball donations can contact the programme via email at marketing@opel.ie.
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* The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures mentioned comply with the WLTP test procedure, on the basis of which new vehicles are type approved from 1 September 2018. This WLTP procedure replaces the European drive cycle (NEDC), which was the test procedure used previously. Due to more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured under the WLTP are, in many cases, higher compared to those measured under the NEDC. The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures may vary depending on actual conditions of use and on different factors such as: specific equipment, options and format of tires. Please contact your dealer for further information. For more information on WLTP click here https://www.wltpfacts.eu/.

** The fuel consumption and CO2 emissions figures mentioned are determined according to the new test procedure WLTP and the relevant values are translated back into NEDC to allow the comparability with other vehicles. Please contact your dealer for the latest information. The values do not take into account in particular use and driving conditions, equipment or options and may vary depending on the format of tires. For more information on official fuel consumption and CO2 emission values, please read the guideline "Guideline for fuel consumption, CO2 emissions of new passenger cars" freely available in all point of sales.

*** The range and electric consumption figures mentioned comply with the WLTP test procedure, on the basis of which new vehicles are type approved from 1 September 2018. They may vary depending on actual conditions of use and on different factors such as: speed, thermal comfort on board the vehicle, driving style, vehicle load and outside temperature. The charging time depends in particular on the power of the charger on board the vehicle, the charging cable and the type and power of the charging station used. Please contact your dealer for further information. For more information on WLTP click here https://www.wltpfacts.eu/.

**** The fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and range figures mentioned comply with the WLTP test procedure, on the basis of which new vehicles are type approved from 1 September 2018. This WLTP procedure replaces the European drive cycle (NEDC), which was the test procedure used previously. Due to more realistic test conditions, the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions measured under the WLTP are, in many cases, higher compared to those measured under the NEDC. The fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and range figures may vary depending on actual conditions of use and on different factors such as: charging frequency, driving style, speed, specific equipment, options, format of tires, outside temperature and thermal comfort on board the vehicle. Please contact your dealer for further information. For more information on WLTP click here https://www.wltpfacts.eu/.

Please note: All information was accurate and up to date at the time of publication. Opel reserves the right to alter specifications at any time, which may affect the data shown. All figures quoted relate to the EU base model with standard equipment.