Sports retailers threatens to pull All Black jersey | Hawkes Bay Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Hawkes Bay

The head of the country's largest retailer will have a showdown today with adidas representatives today about the high price of All Black jerseys sold in stores.

Rebel Sport and Briscoes general manager Rod Duke has threatened to pull the tops from the shelves unless the price is lowered.

An All Blacks replica jersey, manufactured by Adidas, is available for $220 in New Zealand retail stores, but listed for sale at $US79.99 ($NZ92.68) on the website www.worldrugby.com.

Mr Duke told the New Zealand Herald he was meeting New Zealand representatives for adidas today about the difference in price.

``If we haven't been able to sell it, then we'd better make some different arrangements.

``We're going to have some very, very, very serious discussions. But at the end of the day, it's not damn fair.''

When asked if he would send the All Blacks jerseys back if adidas did not lower the price, he said: ``You can rest assured, that will be the tone of my conversations.''

Adidas declined to comment last night, but the company's New Zealand's country manager David Huggett had previously said it gave a recommended retail price, which was set in relation to the local market.

''...the price they pay overseas is largely driven against currency fluctuation which has changed quite significantly over the last couple of years,'' he said.

New Zealand Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said the price gap between that in New Zealand and the one-week delivery was not that great once taxes were taken into account.

Though the high New Zealand dollar was a factor, Mr Albertson said local retailers were also subject to 15 percent GST and a 10 percent duty for anyone bringing in goods valued at $400 or more.