Sponsorship gaffes have All Blacks kicking for touch

By WYNNE GRAY

The All Blacks have run into problems with their $180 million sponsor, adidas.

The team will be warned today that they cannot afford further sponsorship breaches with adidas after criticism of the new test ball and several clothing slip-ups.

Comments from first five-eighths Tony Brown that he was unhappy with the flight of the new yellow ball and uniform irregularities from Troy Flavell and Josh Kronfeld were signals for reminder notices from manager Andrew Martin.

"I will be talking to the whole team about the issue of all our equipment," Martin said, with the original 26-strong squad reassembling in Palmerston North today.

"Brand loyalty with adidas is a significant part of being an All Black."

Adidas took over as the All Blacks' major sponsor last year, introducing their new boots and black jersey as part of a deal believed to be worth about $180 million. After lengthy testing, the yellow ball was used for the first time in the All Blacks' 102-0 Friday night test win against Tonga.

However, kicker Brown did not like the ball's performance, though Martin and adidas general manager Craig Lawson found that odd after he had kicked 13 goals from 16 attempts.

"The ball just floats rather than spirals and it's hard to goalkick because it just dies on you and keeps curling," Brown told several newspapers.

Those comments, a picture of Flavell wearing adidas clothing but Puma footwear and Kronfeld's use of an alternative-brand headgear put the All Black management and adidas on alert.

"Yes, it was strange," Martin conceded last night when asked about Brown's reaction to the ball. He also accepted that Flavell should have been "fully kitted out" because he was on All Black duty, while Kronfeld's situation was a little tricky as adidas was just getting its headgear range produced.

The new All Black manager said he had not spoken to Brown about his reported comments.

"But playing for the All Blacks there are no personal contracts," Martin declared.

In 1996, individual boot deals Jeff Wilson, Ian Jones and Kronfeld had with Nike countermanded the All Blacks' Mizuno deal and almost caused the trio to miss the opening international against Samoa. The issue was not resolved for some time.

Lawson wanted to meet the All Black management to discuss comments about the new ball. He knew there were some concerns the ball could not be punted as far, but wanted to see how it performed in the test at Albany.

"As you would appreciate we are in almost daily communication with the team and I have not had that [criticism] told to me by a player or the team management," he said.

"Issues may be there, but we have spent hundreds and hundreds of hours developing this ball with people like kicking specialist Dave Alred. It has been endorsed and approved by the NZRFU and players have been involved in trials with it since last year.

"And we expect conformity with the clothing, wearing adidas from top to toe while on All Black duty."