V’landys whacks ‘mind-blowing hypocrisy’ as ugly Chiefs battle heads to court
Updated . First published at
Peter V’landys has teed off at New Zealand Rugby for “mind-blowing hypocrisy” after it filed proceedings against the Australian Rugby League Commission in the High Court of New Zealand on Thursday.
The PNG Chiefs are facing a major courtroom battle before they kick a ball in the NRL after NZR lost patience in stalled negotiations with the ARLC.
Wallace Sititi of the Chiefs. Getty
NZR is challenging the decision to launch the Chiefs as an expansion club, who will join the NRL in 2028.
The Hamilton-based Chiefs were an inaugural Super Rugby club when the competition launched in 1996, initially named as the Waikato Chiefs.
“We will defend this vigorously,” ARLC executive chairman V’landys said in a statement provided to nine.com.au.
“The hypocrisy is mind-blowing, considering the Auckland Blues in 1996 used the NSW Blues name without any consultation or approval. The NSW Blues had been the Blues for in excess of 50 years before that.
“Rugby union is obviously feeling threatened by rugby league in New Zealand, with sell-outs at most rugby league games.”
NZR said the Chiefs had built a strong identity and fan base across New Zealand, Australia and internationally over those 30 years and that it had held trademark protection for the club’s logo in Australia since 1998.
The governing body is arguing that an NRL team named the Chiefs would “cause significant confusion and damage.”
NZR claims its views are shared by IP Australia, the Australian Government agency that administers intellectual property rights, and has warned of a “real and tangible danger of confusion” when the ARLC applied for trademark protection.
The PNG Chiefs are set to launch their team and brand on October 21 and NZR said it had been unable to “constructively engage” with the ARLC.
“For 30 years the Chiefs and their players have built an incredibly strong identity that is widely recognised and loved by fans,” NZR chief executive Steve Lancaster said.
“We have raised our concerns with the ARLC directly and consistently over the last year in attempting to find a resolution. We now have a responsibility to protect the Chiefs brand.
Fans during the round six Super Rugby Pacific match between Chiefs and Blues at FMG Stadium. Getty
“We want to be absolutely clear, this is not about rugby league’s growth in the Pacific. We welcome the development of the Pacific region through sport and the passion that the people of Papua New Guinea have for both rugby and rugby league.”
Chiefs chief executive Simon Graafhuis also weighed in.
“Here in New Zealand, when people hear ‘the Chiefs’, they think of this club and this region. The identity carries significant cultural meaning and connection to the region and its people, we know it means a great deal to our players and coaches past and present, fans and supporters here and around the world,” Graafhuis said.
“Teams in different sports and markets can exist alongside one another with the same name, but the issue here is the similarity of our sports competing in the same market, for the same fans, in overlapping windows.”
The Chiefs are one of the most successful clubs in Super Rugby history, winning two titles under Dave Rennie and regularly competing in the finals.
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