All Blacks selling stake

The All Blacks have moved a step closer to selling a stake in the team to a US private equity giant.

New Zealand’s 26 provincial rugby unions and the Maori Rugby Board voted to sell a 12.5pc stake to Silver Lake. The deal would bring a much needed cash injection of £201m for the side. it means the All Blacks are set to become a nonwholly publicly owned entity for the first time in the team’s 115 year history. But the deal is yet to be ratified and needs the approval of the players’ union for it to go ahead.

Several All Blacks, including captain Sam Cane, have raised fears about the commercialisation of sacred team symbols, including the haka.