Highlanders take action over sponsorship fees

Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark. Photo: Peter McInotsh
Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark. Photo: Peter McInotsh
The Highlanders have applied to place a recruiting agency into liquidation, saying it owes the rugby club $120,000 in sponsorship fees.

Highlanders Rugby Club Limited Partnership has filed an application to the Christchurch High Court requesting that Canstaff Recruitment Ltd be placed into liquidation.

The company is owned by Matt and Tracey Jones, of Darfield, and described on its website as a specialised recruitment and labour hire agency for New Zealand construction, civil construction, engineering, manufacturing and logistics sectors.

 “We are disappointed Canstaff have not fulfilled their commitment to the sponsorship contract despite the Highlanders investing significant resources into this partnership,’’ Highlanders chief executive Roger Clark said.

The statement of claim for putting a company into liquidation stated Canstaff owed a total of $120,125, including GST, to the Highlanders with respect to a sponsorship agreement they entered in February last year.

In mid-September this year, the rugby club served the recruitment company with a statutory demand for the payment, but they had ‘‘failed or neglected to comply’’ with the provisions of the demand, the statement of claim said.

‘‘The defendant company is insolvent and unable to pay its debts.

‘‘In the circumstances, it is just and equitable that the defendant company be put into liquidation.’’

Mr Jones told Stuff there had been some disagreements over the arrangements they had with the Highlanders and he thought the application for liquidation was ‘‘premature’’.

tim.scott@odt.co.nz

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