CyberCX extends Rugby Australia cyber security deal

CyberCX has extended its partnership with Rugby Australia, remaining the official cyber security partner of the Wallabies and Wallaroos.

The renewed agreement covers 2026 and 2027, extending a relationship that began under a two-year deal announced in 2024.

As part of the partnership, CyberCX has worked with Rugby Australia on cyber incident simulation exercises for executives, organisational risk assessments, and penetration testing. These activities were designed to identify weaknesses in Rugby Australia's systems and address vulnerabilities.

The extension also includes a commercial marketing component. CyberCX branding and its official partner designation will appear in the Wallabies and Wallaroos coaches' boxes, on field-of-play signage, and in broadcast coverage for all home Test matches during the term of the agreement.

The arrangement reflects how national sporting bodies are increasingly treating cyber security as an operational risk, not just an information technology issue. Federations and clubs hold large volumes of personal data, commercial information, and intellectual property, while relying on digital systems for ticketing, communications, high-performance operations, and event delivery.

For Rugby Australia, the partnership provides continuity at a time when the sport in Australia is attracting increased international attention. The organisation has already used the relationship to run executive-level cyber scenarios, suggesting cyber response planning is being addressed at senior management level as well as within technical teams.

CyberCX, part of Accenture, says it has a workforce of 1,400 cyber security professionals across Australia and New Zealand. It has also been raising its profile in sport, where commercial sponsorship and operational service delivery are increasingly combined in a single arrangement.

That broader push includes other Australian sports organisations. CyberCX has also announced partnerships with the Australian Football League, Collingwood Football Club, and Tennis Australia, reflecting a wider effort to embed cyber services into high-visibility sports properties.

Threat environment

In comments accompanying the announcement, CyberCX cited findings from its own security assessment work to illustrate the level of risk facing organisations. Its recent CyberCX Hack Report 2026 found that about one in three security assessments it conducts includes at least one severe finding.

John Paitaridis, Chief Executive Officer of CyberCX, linked the Rugby Australia extension to the growing exposure facing major sports organisations and the systems that support them.

"With the eyes of the rugby world turning to Australia next year, it has never been more important to secure the technology infrastructure behind the sport, protect sensitive data and intellectual property, and bolster overall organisational resilience in the face of relentless cyber risk. Our recent CyberCX Hack Report 2026 revealed that around one in three security assessments we perform contain at least one severe finding - a number that remains far too high in an environment where many organisations continue to be outpaced by threat actors. At CyberCX, we pride ourselves on being a mission-driven organisation that strives to secure our communities. Sports play an integral role across so many Australian communities, and we are enormously proud of the work we have done with Rugby Australia over the past two years and are excited to strengthen this partnership in the years ahead," said Paitaridis.

His remarks point to a recurring issue for sports bodies and event operators: cyber risk often rises with visibility. Major teams and governing bodies can be attractive targets because of their public profile, sponsorship ties, and concentration of sensitive information, from player and staff records to commercial negotiations and match-day systems.

Rugby Australia also presented the agreement as a practical measure to protect its internal systems and data.

"We are delighted to continue our partnership with CyberCX. In a high-performance environment, the integrity of our data and security of our technology is paramount. They are a great Australian success story, and we are proud to have them protecting our organisation and our teams for a further two years," said Waugh.

The extension shows how cyber security suppliers are moving beyond back-office procurement relationships into more visible strategic roles with sports organisations, where operational assurance and commercial branding now sit side by side.