HSBC is PP to the 2013 British & Irish Lions Oz tour

LONDON, UK: HSBC has renewed their sponsorship to be Principal Partner to the British & Irish Lions. The team will also play first-ever game in Hong Kong, facing the Barbarians in tour opener. Andy Irvine is the tour manager to Australia in 2013, with Gerald Davies becoming chairman of British Lions Limited.

The partnership, which will run until the end of the next Lions Tour to Australia in 2013, continues the successful association, between the touring side and the bank, which was first signed in 2007. The agreement means that HSBC are the first Principal Partner to ever renew a sponsorship with The Lions and will see the bank become shirt sponsor of the team once again. The partnership was formally announced at a joint media conference with the British Lions Limited (BLL) committee at HSBC Private Bank in London yesterday, 18 October 2010.

BLL also announced that for the first time ever The Lions will play a game in Hong Kong, facing the Barbarians in what promises to be a historic curtain raiser to a hotly anticipated tour.

Four former Lions - Simon Shaw, Gavin Hastings, Jamie Roberts and Tommy Bowe - attended today's announcement, representing the unique spirit of The Lions in combining four home countries in one.