New Zealand Rugby (NZR) has confirmed that one of its big backers, Ineos, has breached its six-year sponsorship agreement.
NZR has launched legal proceedings against Ineos, saying that the British chemicals company failed to pay the first instalment of its 2025 sponsorship fee.
The Ineos branding appears on jerseys and clothing worn by the New Zealand men’s and women’s senior sides – the All Blacks and the Black Ferns – as well as the country’s Māori team and sevens teams in a deal signed in 2022, which was originally due to continue until 2028.
The sponsorship deal is believed to be worth around A$4.5 million per year. Ineos says it has contributed more than A$47.58 million to the rugby teams in recent years.
The company is run by British billionaire and Manchester United part-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe. It cited the struggling chemicals industry in Europe because of “high energy taxes and extreme carbon taxes”, along with “the deindustrialisation of Europe”, as some of the reasons that it was backing out of its sponsorship agreement with New Zealand Rugby.
“We have had to implement cost-saving measures across the business,” said Ineos in a statement
“We sought to reach a sensible agreement with the All Blacks to adjust our sponsorship in light of these challenges. Unfortunately, rather than working towards a managed solution, New Zealand Rugby has chosen to pursue legal action. We remain in ongoing discussion.”
NZR has maintained that it “is actively pursuing new commercial opportunities” and that “global interest in the All Blacks and other Teams in Black remains high.”
The All Blacks have won the World Cup on three occasions, and Black Ferns have won women’s world champions six times.
Last year, Ineos confirmed a deal worth about A$2.06 billion for a stake in Manchester United.
Apart from New Zealand Rugby, Ineos has been severing ties with others in the sporting arena too. It parted ways with four-time Olympic champion Ben Ainslie last month.
