Ineos Adds All Blacks to Sports Stable with New Zealand Rugby Deal: CityAM

New Zealand rugby has announced that Ineos will become an official performance partner with a six-year contract starting in 2022.

The deal calls for New Zealand rugby national teams, including the All Blacks and Black Ferns, to join the growing Ineos sports stable owned by British billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe.

They will appear in the group together with the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team, the Ineos Grenadiers Cycling Team, the Ineos Team UK sailing team and the football clubs OGC Nice and FC Lausanne-Sport.

The teams involved will work together to identify performance gains and benefits that can be shared within the group.

“Working with Ineos and being part of such a unique and diverse global sports performance group is an exciting new endeavor,” said Mark Robinson, CEO of New Zealand Rugby.

“We are committed to developing rugby for the next six years with Ineos Sport and look forward to working with some of the best sports teams in the world.”

The Ineos Grenadiers cycling team is led by Sir Dave Brailsford, former British Cycling Performance Director, known for his “marginal profit” approach.

Ineos’ recent ambition may be seen in the poaching of manager Christophe Galtier for OGC Nice from Lille, with whom he won French Ligue 1 last season.

“Ineos is involved in high-performance sport all over the world, which has impressed us very much,” said Samuel Whitelock, the captain of the All Blacks.

“The All Blacks look forward to being part of this performance partnership and also to learn from some of their incredible athletic partnerships.”