Canterbury, best known for its rugby shirts, has placed its European arm into administration with the loss of 72 jobs in the UK.

Canterbury Europe, based in Stockport, sponsored rugby union and rugby league teams in including the Scottish national team, Leinster, Cardiff and London Wasps. It also sponsored Portsmouth Football Club, Lille and Yorkshire and Hampshire cricket clubs after expanding into others sports.

Administrators KPMG said the firm had been hit by the culmination of “difficult trading and an "unsuccessful move” into other sports, such as football. The weakening of the pound also added to Canterbury’s problems, as it imports its goods from the Far East.

KPMG said in a statement: “All sponsorship contracts in Canterbury Europe have been terminated as a result of the administration, and the affected clubs will rank as unsecured creditors in relation to any amounts they were owed for the remainder of the contract.”

The European arm of Canterbury employs 86 people, 72 of whom have now been made redundant.

The rest of the Canterbury Group, such as the Canterbury brand founded in New Zealand, is not affected by the administration and continues to trade as usual, although the group is believed to be looking for a buyer or investor.

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