Paris criminal trial against All Blacks sponsor kicks off

Montpellier's French-Syrian president Mohed Altrad (C) speaks with France's President Emmanuel Macron (R) as French rugby union president Bernard Laporte (L) looks on ahead. (Image: Getty)

Trevor McKewen

Thu, 08 Sep 2022

The All Blacks’ new major sponsor is about to be dragged through a high-profile criminal court case in France that will find New Zealand Rugby potentially squirming with embarrassment, if not ducking for cover.When the Altrad Group signed on as the replacement All Blacks jersey sponsor last year, supplanting American insurance giant AIG which did not renew, there was disquiet in some circles.The French building materials company built by Syrian Bedouin immigrant Mohed Altrad is also the chief naming rights sponsor of next year’s Rug...

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