NZ rugby drops INEOS branding from uniforms

New Zealand Rugby is finally getting rid of the INEOS branding from its team uniforms more than a month after suing the company.

In February, NZR launched legal action against global petrochemical company INEOS over what it called a breach of sponsorship agreement.

However, the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens still had the INEOS branding on their uniforms during last month's World Series round in Vancouver, a week after the legal action was confirmed.

The two teams had the INEOS logo on the back of their playing shorts and the front of training jerseys.

NZR said there wasn't enough time to produce new playing uniforms for the Canada round of the World Series and chose not to cover the chemical company's logo.

It was a situation New Zealand Rugby didn't want to continue and the governing body has now removed the branding from its uniforms.

"NZR was required to stop using INEOS' logo once the agreement between the two parties was terminated," New Zealand Rugby said in a statement.

"That means that all national teams will no longer carry the logo on the back of the match shorts in 2025, including the remainder of the SVNS Series and Pacific Four Series in May."

There will be no INEOS branding on the All Blacks Sevens and Black Ferns Sevens uniforms at this weekend's Hong Kong round of the World Series or on the Black Ferns uniforms when they kick off their buildup to this year's World Cup with the Pacific Four series, in which they'll play tests against Australia, Canada and the US in May.

The All Blacks, who start their season with a three-test home series against France in July, also won't have INEOS branding on their uniforms.

Last month, NZR alleged INEOS, the company owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe, prematurely ended its six-year sponsorship deal, estimated to be valued at 22 million pounds ($NZ48.2m), which began in 2022.

Last month INEOS said it tried to reach a "sensible agreement" with New Zealand Rugby, which is suing the petrochemical giant over an alleged breach of its contract agreement.

In a statement, INEOS said 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.

rnz.co.nz