'Send the bill to Altrad': How New Zealand Rugby can navigate Mohed Altrad's sentencing
The future of All Blacks' multi-million dollar partnership with Altrad is uncertain after the company's owner, Mohed Altrad, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for bribery and corruption. Former New Zealand Rugby CEO David Moffet has urged his former business to proceed with caution and expert consultation.
Moffet was Chief Executive of New Zealand Rugby (NZR) from 1996 through to 2000 and has held similar roles in the Welsh Rugby Union as well as SANZAR - prior to Argentina's inclusion.
Navigating the repercussions of a sponsor's sentencing is a delicate situation that Moffet says NZR should have been monitoring and seeking consultation on since the time allegations arose.
"Well the first thing I'd be concerned about," Moffet told Brendan Telfar on The Platform. "Would be to protect the All Black brand. As we know, it's a huge brand in sport, let alone rugby. Right around the world, it's the most visible New Zealand brand out there. So, I would be looking at doing whatever I could to protect that brand.
"What they've done so far is they've put out a holding statement and then having a lot of discussions.
"It's a sad day for rugby actually because it's now embroiled World Rugby in the whole thing and it's a bit of a shambles.
"What I would then do, having put out a holding statement - and hopefully this is what New Zealand Rugby's been doing - because this has now been on foot, this court case, for a long time, I would have been actually seeking some world-class advice on how to protect a brand if things went south and there was convictions, as there have been in this case. There are those people that can advise you on the steps you need to take, and then I would send the bill to Altrad for having got that advice because it won't come cheap."
New Zealand Rugby added significantly to their business portfolio in 2022, completing deals with Silverlake, Altrad, SAP and Ineos. Vocal criticism around the Silverlake deal for the sake of business autonomy, as well as the ethical backlash over Ineos's role in the climate crisis overshadowed the backlash around the All Blacks and Altrad's parternship. However, discussion is now picking up over the due dilligance that went into the deal. Moffet says Altrad's sentencing is a lose-lose for New Zealand Rugby both financially and in terms of public image.
"The next conversation I'd be having is with Silverlake because as we know, Silverlake have bought the rights to the commercial activity of New Zealand Rugby, and they will have a hugely invested interest in what happens next in this multi-million dollar sponsorship because they get a percentage of that."
Moffet says New Zealand Rugby will have to move quickly to resolve the issue, but they're not the only governing body in this unfortuante position.
"There's three options... the one is to actually cancel the contract with Altrad, the other is to renegotiate a contract with Altrad and then the third one is to walk away from it.
"The other conversation they should be having, and I'm sure they are, is with the FFR, the French Rugby Union, because they also have Altrad as their sponsor and to find out what their position is.
'If there's any possibility of the All Black brand being tarnished from it, then you have no choice but to walk away from it.
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Hi Nick. Thanks for your +++ ongoing analysis. Re Vunivalu, He’s been benched recently and it will be interesting to see what Kiss does with him as we enter the backend of SRP. I’m still not sold.
Go to commentsIn the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
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