Brains will become the official sponsor of the Welsh team and the official ale of the Welsh Rugby Union. The new-look Welsh rugby jersey will carry the Brains logo and the Brains dragon across the chest.

The Welsh team will wear the new kit for the first time in the first of four autumn Tests when South Africa return to the Millennium Stadium on Saturday, November 6.

This is a great deal for Welsh rugby and a very happy commercial marriage for the WRU, said WRU group chief executive David Moffett.

The WRU was founded in 1881 and Brains a year later. And when Cardiff Arms Park became the home of Welsh rugby after our first international there in 1884, no doubt a few pints of their now world-renowned bitter and dark ales were sunk by players and supporters alike.

We have cohabited within a drop-kick of each other ever since with Brains being brewed at their old brewery site in St Mary Street before they moved to their current home in Penarth Road about 1,000 metres down the River Taff from the Millennium Stadium. This is a perfect match for both of us.

While we have been pleased and grateful to have been associated with our previous sponsors, the fact that we are linking with one of Wales most high-profile companies is a real boost for us. Brains have demonstrated a lifelong commitment to Wales and Welsh sport and they are underlining that fact with this deal.

Chief executive of SA Brain & Co Ltd, Scott Waddington, said: What better fit is there for Wales best-loved beer brand than to be the sponsor of the national rugby team?

As well as the strong emotional connections between our two organisations, this deal also represents an excellent commercial opportunity for Brains.