Top Marque Join Forces With James Grant

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Rugby union player management company Top Marque Sports (TMS) have announced their merger with James Grant Group (JGG), the integrated management and professional services company in sport, music and entertainment.

TMS, which represents over 60 international players including Dan Cole, Liam Williams, Charlie Faumuina, Will Genia, Simon Zebo and Tommy Seymour, was founded over 13 years ago by Shaun Longstaff (pictured) and his lawyer wife Jenny. Fellow directors and ex-players Jono Stuart and Daren O’Leary will also join the new enlarged group.

TMS will join James Grant’s sports division which has a rugby client roster including 2013 and 2017 Lions captain Sam Warburton and double Six Nations winning England captain Dylan Hartley. This merger boosts the combined rugby client roster to include players in every country and every major league in the world, making the division one of the largest global rugby agencies (along with Essentially and Esportif).

Shaun, Jono and Daren will join James Grant’s existing UK sports division senior management team which consists of Mick McGuire (executive chairman, Sports UK), Mike Wallwork (global sports managing director), Derwyn Jones (managing director England & Wales rugby) and Rob Burgess (director England rugby) on the newly formed rugby board.

“The whole team at TMS is hugely excited about the prospect of this merger. There is a genuine synergy of management practises and ambition between the two parties and whilst establishing ourselves as the leading global agency is one of our mutual objectives, we also recognise that all of our clients will benefit from this merger” said Shaun Longstaff.

Mick McGuire, UK sport executive chairman said “we are delighted that the Top Marque team has chosen to join us. Our combined client roster creates a depth and breadth of clients which puts us at the forefront of the rugby management industry. We are committed to investing the necessary resources to ensure we continue to deliver a first-class service for our clients benefit and very much look forward to working with the whole TMS team.”