"With its strong ex-pat community, London is of key strategic importance to New Zealand Rugby, and when you factor in our shared relationship with adidas, this cooperation agreement is a very natural fit." - Steve Tew
I can easily see a situation where NZ retain some control over the sabbatical players
I can easily see any top club being unwilling to be dictated to, or to have the star player for such a short period of time (given £££ expectations)
I can easily see Adidas agreeing to pay for some of this; and insisting that the Adidas All Black players go to an Adidas club, and mention Adidas with reasonable frequency. Especially when the Adidas club is playing against any of the following: Bath (Canterbury); Exeter (Samurai); Gloucester (X-Blades); Leicester (Kukri); LIrish (X-Blades); Newcastle (ISC); Northampton (Macron); Sale (Samurai); Saracens (BLK); Wasps (Under Armour) or Worcester (Under Armour). Or hell, even Bristol's inhouse kit supplier.
It's important to Adidas that people know about Adidas; and their connection to the Adidas All Blacks; and their support of this Adidas sponsored sabbatical to help with their Adidas mortgages and their Adidas mental health.
That London is (IIRC) the city with the highest population of kiwis in the world, is, I'm sure, a bonus.
