The RBS 6 Nations may be dominating the airwaves and rugby minds at the moment but the same management team who run the British and Irish Lions will be watching the front pages as well as the back this week as major sponsor HSBC struggles under the international spotlight of tax avoidance charges relating to events in Switzerland.
Earlier this week Adidas announced that it was to step away from providing the kit deal for the Lions ahead of the next tour to New Zealand in 2017.
This means that others including Under Armour and Canterbury will be able to enter the bidding to produce the kit and strengthen their respective brands within rugby.
Kit deals are continuing to escalate in value with Adidas themselves paying a reported £750 million to oust Nike as kit supplier to Manchester United.
The Issues around HSBC will be keenly picked through though as they dominate financial headlines for a third day.
The financial services giant is believed to have paid around £7 million to be the 2013 official tour sponsor. Theirs was the single largest contribution to a profit on the Australia tour that reached over €5 million and is expected to climb higher again with the trip down under to play the All Blacks in two years time.
HSBC made the most of the deal with customers around the world, stopping off with the team in Hong Kong en route, and the association was considered by all sides to have been a success.
They first became partners of the Lions in 2007 and while no decision is needed yet on a renewal for 2017 the way the reputation game plays out over the coming days and weeks will still be watched carefully.
Image Credit: Inpho.ie
