The Slater Cup
Saturday 28th March 2026. Gloucester Rugby versus Leicester Tigers. The Slater Cup.
The annual game between the teams of former Lock Ed Slater who competed for both in his career. Sadly Ed was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) in July 2022. The game acts to raise awareness of MND and raise funds for the 4ED Foundation. Recognising the unique challenges MND presents, the 4ED Foundation provides vital financial resources to enhance the quality of life for those affected by MND, proactively supporting those adapting to ever-changing circumstances.
For the first time ever the game was held at Aston Villa FC’s Villa Park home in Birmingham. The Cherry and Whites join Bristol Bears (Principality Stadium, Cardiff) and Saracens RFC (Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, London) as one of only three teams to host a fixture away from their home stadium in the Gallagher Premiership.
Playing in Birmingham had two main pluses for the club. Villa Park holds a significant capacity advantage over Kingsholm and the game is a chance to expand the clubs reach into the Midlands. Gloucester have recently opened scouting and training facilities in Birmingham to find the stars of tomorrow.
With our own Amarin Community Fund always looking to give back we wanted to be involved in supporting the event. Through our sponsors relationship (sponsoring Jack Mann) we reached out to our contacts and agreed an exciting inclusion. Students from Ridgeway Secondary School & King Edwards VI (Aston, Birmingham) were mascots for the big day. We agreed to be the official sponsor of the mascots, and “Big Flag” bearers from Blackminster Middle School as our way of contributing to the day and supporting the wonderful cause.
Our involvement was celebrated across ours, and Gloucester Rugby’s social media channels. We were announced at the ground as the mascot sponsors. Amarin announced at a Premier League football ground is a first!
Sadly the result did not go in Gloucester’s favour as the Tigers ran out 17-36 winners. The day as a whole was a success in terms of the charity and it’s message. We were very proud to be part of the day and thank the club for allowing us to be involved.
