England Rugby Union captain Chris Robshaw says his personal sponsorships are based on the twin criteria of brands which are “market leaders” and “setting trends.” Robshaw made his senior int'l debut in '09, and his rise to captaining the England team in '12 has helped him land a raft of commercial deals. These include deals with Nike, BT Sport, Tag Heuer, BMW, hotel chain Langham and protein brand Maxinutrition. Robshaw talked with SBD Global while making an appearance at an event showcasing the GlaxoSmithKline-owned Maxinutrition brand, which is looking to become more mainstream and shift perceptions of it being a product solely for elite athletes. In choosing personal sponsors, Robshaw said, "You look at things like who are the market leaders and who are setting trends."
CHANGING AN IMAGE: In the U.K., the sport-nutrition industry is to an extent misunderstood and mistrusted. Some argue that protein supplements are no more health-enhancing than a balanced diet and a good night’s sleep. But Maxinutrition is looking to bring credibility to the industry, and now has listings in major supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury’s. Robshaw argued that the product has value for the mainstream. It was also revealed that Maxinutrition is shifting its focus away from football sponsorship, which had been earmarked as a key area for the brand after striking sponsorship deals with Everton football club and Tottenham player Jermaine Jenas. Maxinutrition is understood not to be renewing its sponsorship deal with Everton, though it will continue to supply products to clubs without a sponsorship element. Instead, it will focus its sponsorship on its key sports such as rugby and boxing through the deals with the likes of boxer Amir Khan.
THE RIGHT DIRECTION: Separately, Robshaw said he was optimistic about England’s chances in the 2015 World Cup. He said, “I think we are getting to the stage now were we're probably seven or eight out of 10. There are still areas to keep improving. New Zealand have kind of set the benchmark. And they are the benchmark which everyone is chasing and we are pretty close. You don’t go into a World Cup to come second, do you? Of course it’s a lot easier said than done. There are a lot of pieces to the jigsaw. Hopefully, in two years' time it will all be in place.”
John Reynolds is a writer in London.
