New Zealand Rugby Sues NRL Over PNG Chiefs Name as Peter V’landys Fires Back

The NRL’s plans for its new Papua New Guinea franchise have been thrown into a legal battle, with New Zealand Rugby taking the Australian Rugby League Commission to the High Court over the team’s use of the name “Chiefs”.

The PNG-based franchise is scheduled to enter the NRL in 2028 and was officially unveiled as the Chiefs last year.

However, New Zealand Rugby has now launched legal proceedings in the New Zealand High Court in an attempt to prevent the new team from using the Chiefs name in New Zealand.

The move has sparked an angry response from ARLC Executive Chairman Peter V’landys, who has accused rugby union of hypocrisy and declared that the NRL will “defend this vigorously”.

New Zealand Rugby claims it owns the trademark rights to the word “Chiefs” and the Chiefs logo in New Zealand.

The organisation has also held trademark protection for the Chiefs logo in Australia since 1998.

The Waikato-based Chiefs have been part of Super Rugby since 1996 and NZ Rugby argues that the arrival of another Chiefs team competing in the same markets could create significant confusion and damage to the existing brand.

NZ Rugby says it has attempted to resolve the dispute with the Australian Rugby League Commission over the past year but has been unable to reach an agreement.

It is now seeking both an interim and final injunction preventing the use of “PNG Chiefs”, “Chiefs” or similar names in New Zealand.

NZ Rugby chief executive Steve Lancaster said the organisation had a responsibility to protect a brand which had been built over three decades.

“For 30 years the Chiefs and their players have built an incredibly strong identity that is widely recognised and loved by fans,” Lancaster said.

He stressed that the legal action was not intended to prevent rugby league from expanding in the Pacific.

“We want to be absolutely clear, this is not about rugby league’s growth in the Pacific,” Lancaster said.

“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.”

Peter V’landys has responded strongly to the legal action, accusing New Zealand Rugby of hypocrisy.

The ARLC chairman pointed to the Auckland Blues adopting the “Blues” name when they entered Super Rugby in 1996.

The NSW rugby league team had already been known as the Blues for more than 50 years.

“We will defend this vigorously,” V’landys said.

“The hypocrisy is mind-blowing, considering the Auckland Blues in 1996 used the NSW Blues name without any consultation or approval.”

V’landys also suggested the legal dispute was partly driven by rugby league’s growing popularity in New Zealand.

“Rugby union is obviously feeling threatened by rugby league in New Zealand, with sell-outs at most rugby league games,” he said.

The comments have added further fuel to an already heated dispute between the two codes.

The new Papua New Guinea franchise is currently preparing for its arrival in the NRL, with the club scheduled to officially unveil its inaugural jersey on October 21.

The club has already begun assembling its roster ahead of its 2028 debut and has secured a number of established NRL players.

However, the legal action creates uncertainty around whether the club will ultimately be able to launch under the Chiefs name in New Zealand.

The PNG Chiefs said they were unable to comment extensively on the ongoing legal proceedings but confirmed they were working with the NRL and remained confident in their position.

Chiefs chief executive Simon Graafhuis backed the legal action from NZ Rugby, arguing the issue is more complicated than two sporting teams simply sharing the same name.

“Here in New Zealand, when people hear ‘the Chiefs’, they think of this club and this region,” Graafhuis said.

He argued that the problem was the overlap between the two sports, particularly because both teams would be competing for supporters in the same market.

The legal dispute comes just weeks before the planned launch of the PNG franchise's first jersey.

New Zealand Rugby is seeking an injunction to stop the NRL from using the Chiefs name in New Zealand, while the ARLC has made it clear it intends to fight the case.

The dispute could therefore become one of the first major legal battles surrounding the NRL's expansion into the Pacific.

For now, the NRL has no intention of backing down, with V’landys making his position clear.

The PNG Chiefs are expected to continue preparing for their 2028 debut while the legal process plays out.