Share Cup profits - or else

The International Rugby Board could face a players' revolt over its refusal to share some of the profits at this year's World Cup, a leading players' representative has warned.

International Rugby Players Association chairman Tony Dempsey told Australia's Daily Telegraph newspaper yesterday that while most major professional sports shared their massive earnings with their players, the competitors at this year's rugby World Cup, including the champions, would receive nothing.

Dempsey said this was despite players having to sign a participation agreement allowing the IRB to profit from them.

"We have read the tournament manual and it's archaic," Dempsey said.

"They [the IRB] are out of touch with modern sporting trends.

"Players are being told that for participating in the rugby World Cup they receive heightened public profile and the chance to play in a prestige tournament.

"In return they have to consent to the use of their name, image, likeness, photograph, signature and audio-visual recording of their performances in anything from videos to collectible stickers, trading cards and board games."

Dempsey said he wrote to the IRB in January, seeking a meeting to sort out the intellectual property problem, but was told to take up the issue with individual unions.

"We've told them this problem is not going to go away. We're asking them to reconsider their position," Dempsey said.

* The New Zealand Rugby Union is not budging from its stance in the face of legal threats from Welsh club Neath.

Neath have been known as the All Blacks for 123 years - 25 years longer than the New Zealand national team.

But the NZRU has applied for a trademark which would force Neath to court if they wanted to continue using their historic nickname on club merchandise.

NZRU deputy chief executive Steve Tew said yesterday that it was the first he had heard of Neath considering legal action.

"All we are doing is protecting what is New Zealand rugby's to protect, because we have 120,000 members who want us to.

"We're not trying to stop them using the name, but if they want to use it for their intellectual property as associated to ours, then we will have a concern."

Tew said the NZRU had not heard directly from Neath, but would be happy to discuss it. "If Neath have got an issue then we will meet them, but we don't anticipate having one.

But Neath were prepared to fight the issue, said their chief executive, Mike Cuddy. "We had the nickname more than 20 years before New Zealand.

"We are prepared to fight this all the way, and we have sent the details to our legal representative."

Neath adopted their black jersey adorned with a Maltese Cross after the death of one of their players, Dick Gordon, from injuries suffered in a match against Bridgend in 1880.

Black was worn as a mark of respect and the club became known briefly as The Mourners, as well as the All Blacks, and have worn the jerseys ever since.

New Zealand were first called the All Blacks on their 1905 tour of Europe.

"We're the original All Blacks, they shouldn't worry about being the second-best All Blacks," Cuddy said.

"They know we're called the All Blacks. We haven't even had the decency of a phone call from them."

Cuddy said the club was considering applying for a trademark on the name for Britain and Europe.

- NZPA