Honda Handles Odd Shaped Balls in Honda Rugby Performance Partner Film

Honda are official performance partners of the RFU - sponsoring the England team for the upcoming ‘6 Nations’.

England fans may ask, what on earth does a brand like Honda have in common with rugby and why are they sponsoring the game they so love?

As an engineering company, Honda has always been fascinated by odd shaped problems. Rugby’s odd shaped ball resonates perfectly with this fascination, making it the ideal specimen for Honda to observe.  

Honda are known for their bold, conceptual advertising and it’s no surprise this follows in the same, rich vein. Buoyed by the opportunity to work with Honda and the creative team behind the work, RadicalMedia executive producer Sam Holmes pushed for the strongest and cleanest creative outcome as soon as he received the brief, knowing instantly that Freddie Leyden - a RadicalMedia collaborator - was the only choice for this project. 

Freddie, who helmed both the film and stills, worked alongside trusted associates such as cinematographer David Bird, James Duffy and acclaimed VFX artist Theo Taghom to bring the concept to life with a simple yet evocative set designed by James Soldan, built at the wonderful Mammoth Studios in South East London. Matthew Willcock at Zelig Sound was able to deliver a symphony of celebration to which Alex Gregory applied his trademark attention to detail in the grade. 


Known for his use of analogue camera techniques, Freddie crafts mesmerising visuals that feel timeless yet innovative to create striking, immersive imagery. Trusted by the most prestigious names in the art world, he uses his background in fine art to fuse artistic and historical references into his work. His work has been recognised at the Cannes Lions, Vimeo Staff Pick for Best of the Year and an international Gold for Directing at the Kinsale Sharks thus far. 


Freddie Leyden said, “This was a dream brief. I’ve always loved Honda’s commercials - they have a sense of engineered brilliance - so getting the chance to create something in that spirit was beyond exciting. Mastering the practical elements was key; we experimented endlessly with the rugby ball, built the set, and dropped all the balls for real, which was pure magic. The idea kept evolving as we went, gaining momentum and shaping itself. We set some strict rules, which meant everything had to be executed with absolute precision - sometimes the simplest ideas demand the most rigor. I’m so grateful to the entire team for their passion and energy - everyone pulled in the same direction to make something truly special, innovative, and (hopefully) timeless” 



Sam Holmes said, “We’re extremely grateful for the incredible team on this project whose tireless work enabled us to bring Freddie’s vision to life. A big thanks goes out to Joe Gurney at Honda, who afforded us their trust and guidance throughout. Freddie is a generational talent, uniquely positioned at the nexus of fine art and culture. We’re thrilled to have them as a collaborator here at RadicalMedia. We ended up somewhere very special indeed. I think the work speaks to that end. ”