Hugh Forrest of SXSW named as a Brand Ambassador to Austin Elite Rugby Team

Forrest helps promote the sport he believes is improving Austin’s cultural landscape.

(ROUND ROCK, Texas) — Austin Elite Rugby, the first major league sports team in Central Texas is proud to announce SXSW Chief Programming Officer Hugh Forrest as an ambassador to the team. Forrest has played an integral part in helping to create one of the biggest conference and festival events in the world.

“Hugh’s impact on Austin is immeasurable, and we’re thrilled to name him as an ambassador to Austin Elite Rugby,” said Thierry Daupin, CEO and Owner of Austin Elite Rugby. “This is an exciting time for Austin Elite Rugby as we continue to grow and begin our second season playing at Dell Diamond stadium.”

The team has contracted 30 players this year who represent more than a dozen countries from across the globe such as South Africa, Australia, Argentina, France, Ireland, Uruguay, Chile, and others.

“In a city that thrives because of its ability to attract top startup talent, Austin Elite Rugby should feel right at home,” says Hugh Forrest, SXSW Chief Programming Officer. “Look for them to re-define our current standards for action-packed sports over the next few years.”

Forrest says his Scottish roots make him partial to the game that originated in Europe. He grew up listening to his father, who was born in Glasgow, tell countless rugby stories at the dinner table. His dad played rugby in the 1940’s for the London-Scottish club team and went on to become a famous biochemist and professor at the University of Texas at Austin.

“A professional rugby team is another indication of Austin’s increasingly international personality,” says Forrest. “I am thrilled that one of the world’s most exciting sports has found a home in Central Texas.”

Thanks to his sincere appreciation of the sport and his commitment to help promote rugby in Central Texas, Hugh Forrest is the first in a series of ambassadors named by Austin Elite Rugby.

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About Austin Elite Rugby (AER): AER is a proud member of Major League Rugby and will play six home games at the Dell Diamond stadium located in Round Rock, the sports capital of Texas. For team schedule, click here.