‘We’ve Not Done Anything Wrong’ - Robinson Firm On INEOS Court Action

Thursday, 20 February 2025, 8:49 pm
Article: RNZ

Jamie Wall, Digital Sports Journalist

NZ Rugby CEO Mark Robinson has reaffirmed the governing body's intention to sue petrochemical giant INEOS over a failed sponsorship agreement. Robinson stopped short of saying the action was a last resort over INOES's failure to deliver the last instalment of a deal estimated to be worth $NZ48.2 million, saying that NZR had "explored, over last year, a lot of options."

"Ultimately, when the contract was breached, we felt this was the next best path we had to take. We're really disappointed we've ended up in this position, but we do have a really strong need to protect the interests of the game here," said Robinson.

NZ Rugby has alleged that INEOS, owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, had ended its six-year sponsorship deal in breach of contract.

"We had a really clear agreement with INEOS. We've acted in strict accordance with that, and we've not done anything wrong, we went into this on the basis of the agreements that you have. And we've upheld those. In the future we'll be in this situation of looking for new partnerships a lot, the vast majority of the time we have alignment around our vision and values, and we hope that continues."

INEOS said in a statement last week that "cost-saving measures across the business" had prompted it to seek a change to its relationship with NZ Rugby, saying it had already contributed more than $NZ50 million in sponsorship.

The original deal saw the All Blacks and Black Ferns join the INEOS stable which included the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, the Grenadiers cycling team, Team UK sailing, and football clubs Nice and FC Lausanne-Sport. Ratcliffe, one of the UK's richest figures, is also a co-owner of English Premier League club Manchester United, however he has courted widespread unpopularity in the role after cost-cutting efforts at the iconic club led to 200 job losses amid a loss of £27.7m for the second quarter of their financial year.

Robinson kept his cards close to his chest regarding a replacement sponsor, however he and All Black coach Scott Robertson are fly out to Europe for a wide-ranging set of meetings that will hopefully secure interest at least.

"These things don't happen overnight, but we are in regular dialogue with partners and prospects all the time. We are looking to new opportunities all the time, we understand there will be scrutiny particularly from New Zealanders, media and our fans. So we acknowledge that when we go into these partnerships," he said, in relation to the less-than-enthusiastic response in some quarters to the original INEOS announcement back in 2022.

This isn't the only problematic All Black sponsorship deal in recent times, with major jersey sponsor and French construction firm Altrad Group owner Mohed Altrad given an 18-month suspended prison sentence and was fined more than €50,000 in 2022. Altrad was found guilty of corruption, influence peddling, and misuse of corporate assets in a scandal involving then-head of the French Rugby Federation Bernard Laporte over sponsorship of the France team jersey.

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