The Otago Rugby Football Union, in association with Silver Fern Farms, has launched two annual scholarships to entice promising rugby players with a rural background to Otago.
The scholarships are part of a new sponsorship agreement between the food processing company and the Otago union.
Silver Fern Farms is to be the major sponsor of Otago Country club rugby for the next two years.
ORFU commercial manager Mike Kerr said the company and the union had announced two annual scholarships aimed at attracting young players from rural communities around New Zealand to Otago rugby.
The scholarships are valued at $10,000 each and are designed to provide a pathway to education and future employment, covering course and accommodation costs.
The scholarship is for one year.
Silver Fern Farms chief executive Keith Cooper said in a statement the scholarships would directly benefit Otago by bringing talented young school-leavers to the province and, in time, the business.
They would also be open to anyone from rural communities across New Zealand who met the criteria.
Under the sponsorship arrangement, the Otago Country premier competition will be named the Silver Fern Farms premier country rugby competition and teams will be playing for the Silver Fern Farms Cup.
