Rugby hits Colombo: HNB and MasterCard unveils Webb Ellis trophy at HNB Towers

Leveraging its long-standing partnership with global payment giant MasterCard, HNB PLC recently secured an exclusive opportunity to display the coveted Webb Ellis Trophy at HNB Towers.

Extending a once-in-a-lifetime invitation to the event, HNB hosted students, the bank’s top clientele together with the staff, to view the trophy in person. On its maiden visit to the island, the famed trophy was displayed to the public in Colombo and Kandy between the 18th and 22nd of February, 2023.

“Sri Lanka has a proud heritage and long history with rugby since 1879. The competitive sport is intricately woven into the fabric and spirit of our local sporting culture, going so far as to establish competitive encounters which draw past pupils and rugby enthusiasts globally to our island each year.

“Having experienced the raw enthusiasm of our rugby players over the years, we jumped at the opportunity to display the trophy at HNB Towers. Moreover, given the challenges we have faced over the past three years, we want to take every opportunity to inspire and motivate young sportspeople to celebrate the sport and its storied past,” HNB Deputy General Manager – Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne said

The event builds on the bank’s efforts to encourage and celebrate the Sri Lankan sports fraternity by conducting various initiatives to empower national contenders at multiple games and tournaments. In addition to displaying the grand Webb Ellis Trophy, HNB previously hosted a felicitation ceremony for the Sri Lankan Paralympics Team for their win at the 2020 Paralympics Games, celebrating the fruition of the dreams of our local talent.

“We are thrilled to bring the Webb Ellis Cup to Sri Lanka, and it’s a true privilege to showcase it in a country that holds rugby in such high regard. We’re especially excited to be able to display the trophy at different locations in the country for an extended period of time, giving the public the opportunity to see the iconic trophy first hand,” MasterCard Country Manager, Sandun Hapugoda said.

Notably, HNB partnered with Classic Travels to offer rugby fans who wish to experience the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, a 24 month zero interest installment payment facility. HNB credit cardholders travelling in Economy and Business Class are also eligible for a 10% and 50% discount respectively. Moreover, Business Class travelers have access to the Silk Route Lounge, a complimentary travel insurance cover, and free visa services.

With 256 customer centres, HNB is one of Sri Lanka’s largest, most technologically innovative private banks. Consolidating its legacy in sustainability, good governance and corporate excellence, HNB was crowned the Best Corporate Citizen for 2022 at the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Best Corporate Citizen Awards. The bank further secured four additional accolades, including being among the Top 10 Best Corporate Citizens and taking home the Governance category and Sustainability Champion for the Finance sector titles.

Similarly, HNB was ranked among the World’s Top 1,000 Banks list compiled by the prestigious UK-based Banker Magazine for the sixth consecutive year in 2022, in addition to being crowned the Best Retail Bank in Sri Lanka for the 12th occasion at the prestigious International Excellence in Retail Financial Services Awards 2022 hosted by the Asian Banker Magazine.

(from left) MasterCard Sri Lanka Director Mahesha Amarasuriya, MasterCard Country Manager Sandun Hapugoda, HNB Deputy General Manager – Retail and SME Banking Sanjay Wijemanne, HNB Deputy General Manager – Head of Islamic Banking Hisham Ally and HNB Head of Cards Gauthami Niranjan with the renowned Webb Ellis trophy