New Zealand Rugby was seeking urgent answers from All Blacks shirt sponsor Altrad after the owner of the French construction company received a suspended prison sentence in France.

Altrad has sponsored the shirts of New Zealand’s men and women teams since August in a six-year deal.

Altrad’s billionaire owner, Mohed Altrad, was given an 18-month suspended sentence on Tuesday over irregularities in a sponsorship deal he did with the French national side.

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“We will be reconvening with representatives from the company immediately, as well as with our key stakeholders,” said a NZ Rugby spokesperson on Wednesday .

“We have been in discussions on the possibility of this outcome for some time.”

French rugby is reeling after federation president Bernard Laporte received a two-year suspended prison sentence on corruption charges relating to the Altrad case.

France will host the Rugby World Cup next year.

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© Agence France-Presse

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