Our Team

Duncan Sandlant – Managing Director

Duncan is the Managing Director of Esportif International’s European office and the founding Managing Director of Point Sports Management. He is a qualified employment lawyer with over fifteen years legal experience specialising in sports law. He also still consults to Lewis Silkin, a leading London based law firm, where he is part of their Sports Law team.

Duncan has been managing players and coaches for over ten years and is one of the most experienced and influential managers in world rugby. He has acted for and negotiated some of the highest profile and most complex contracts in world rugby and is widely regarded as a leader in this field. As well as rugby, he has acted for athletes and management in football, golf and yachting. Duncan is a member of the working party of the Association of Rugby Agents in the UK and is an accredited agent with the RFU.

Rhys Parsons

Rhys Parsons is a qualified lawyer specialising in sports related employment law and has over 6 years legal experience working in London, Paris and Cardiff. Rhys is a consultant at Darwin Gray LLP, a leading Welsh law firm.

Rhys is fluent in French and is licenced by the French Rugby Federation to represent professional players, coaches and clubs in France. He is one of only a few licensed agents who are not French citizens. Rhys is also a registered agent with the RFU in the UK.

Rhys also works on Esportif’s behalf in searching for and obtaining playing opportunities for their clients in the UK and French markets. Rhys provides Esportif with legal advice on a wide range of legal issues involving their clients as well as representing a number of world class international players and coaches.

Kim Gray – Client Welfare Manager

Kim Gray is the Client Welfare Manager for Esportif International and was a founding employee of Point Sports Management. A Sports Administration graduate from Victoria University in Melbourne, Kim has worked across many fields of the sports industry including positions as Team Manager of the Glasgow Warriors rugby team, Marketing Administration Assistant at Olympic Games Football Melbourne and a host of sports event management roles.

Teaming her knowledge and experience of working with professional athletes along with her holistic and passionate approach to client management, Kim endeavours to ensure that each clients needs are met to the fullest and that they can relax in the knowledge that their off-field affairs will be taken care of.

Rochelle Ellmers - Client Welfare Manager

Rochelle Ellmers is the Client Welfare Manager for Esportif International and joined the team in 2011. After graduating with a Bachelor of Physical Education from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, Rochelle has worked in a variety of roles in the sports industry, including as an Event Manager with Netball New Zealand. Other roles include working for the Manukau City Council and the 2011 ANZ Championship Premiership winners the Queensland Firebirds.

Craig Innes – Director

Craig is a Director of Esportif, and was a founding director of World In Motion. He was one of the few professionals to make the successful switch between rugby codes, having played rugby for the Auckland Blues and All Blacks before signing with Leeds in the UK Super League, followed by the NRL club Manly. He returned to Auckland to complete his professional career playing Rugby Union for the Auckland Blues in the Super 12 competition.  He has a wealth of local industry knowledge as well as vast experience of the international rugby market and is a NZRPA Accredited Agent.

Craig has a reputation for honesty, integrity and commitment to players’ welfare in conjunction with securing their commercial success.

Dean McKenzie – Director

Dean is the South Island based Director of Esportif. He is a Chartered Accountant with degrees in both Economics and Accounting from Otago University, as well as a Masters Degree in Sports Administration and Facility Management from Ohio University (USA). Dean has a strong commercial background and was the Chief Executive at Jade Stadium from 2002 until 2006. Dean is an accredited agent with the NZRPA and provides a professional and comprehensive service to all our clients.

Bruce Sharrock – Director

Bruce is a Director of Esportif, and was a founding director of World In Motion. He has over 10 years experience in the finance industry, partnered a successful nation-wide retail chain, and has been successfully managing elite athletes for the past 15 years.

Bruce has comprehensive knowledge of the NZRPA/NZRU Players Collective, is an accredited NZRPA Player Agent and possesses a proven reputation for honesty and effective negotiation within the Australasian rugby industry. Bruce is also an accredited NRL agent who possesses an in-depth knowledge of the NRL rules and regulations

Karyne Ross – Client Welfare Manager

Karyne is the Client Welfare Manager for Esportif, and is part of the original team from World In Motion having been with the company since its inception in 2002.

Karyne sets high standards in customer service and is committed to clients’ welfare. Her qualifications and experience in marketing and business management assist with clients commercial aspirations, and she is the key contact for all Talent enquiries.

Daniel Kane – National Client Manager

Dan is Esportifs National Client Manager. He has a Bachelors degree in Business Studies from Massey University, played his rugby locally for North Harbour and spent a number of years as a professional player in the UK. Dan has comprehensive knowledge and experience of the sports industry both internationally and in NZ combined with a thorough understanding of the NZRPA Collective. Dan fully understands the needs of our clients, the pathways to success and the importance of career planning.

Nicholas Pironneau

Nicolas is part of the Esportif International French operation, and was a co-founder of Point Sports Management. He is a qualified Chartered Accountant (formerly with Price Waterhouse Coopers). In 2004 he founded his own company which is specialises in Human Resources Management and French Labour Law. Nicolas has negotiated some of the largest rugby contracts in the history of professional rugby in France and is widely recognised as a leader in this field.

Emmanuelle Pironneau – Client Services Manager

Emmanuelle is the Client Welfare Manager for Esportif International France. She is a former professional tennis player and competed at the highest level within her sport being ranked within the Top 150 of all international players. She has first-hand experience and understanding of professional sport which enables her to provide sound advice for sports men and women in their everyday lives and taking full care of any off-field matters.

Miwa Eguchi

Miwa completed a law degree at Senshu University and her passion for rugby led to her successful career in sports management. Since 1991 she has been involved in different aspects of professional rugby, as a translator, administrator and team manager. Since 2003 Miwa has evolved into a sports agent role, and since has been involved in a number of high profile signings to top Japanese clubs. She  has an extensive network of contacts throughout Japan  and is held with high regard within the professional rugby industry.

Stewart Eru

Stewart graduated from the University of Otago in New Zealand and played representative rugby at various levels before playing professionally for five years in Kyoto for Mitsubishi Motors, where he was captain for 2 seasons. He is well versed in the Japanese culture and speaks fluent Japanese. Stewart obtained his masters from the University of Cambridge and also captained Cambridge in the 2003 Varsity Match against Oxford University. Prior to joining the company, Stewart spent six years working in finance. Stewart has been responsible for placing a number of international players and coaches in Japan, his in-depth knowledge of Japan combined with his previous experience of professional rugby means he is perfectly placed to advise and service clients.

Emi Arai

Emi Arai works for Esportif International in Japan. She holds a law degree and has worked in finance for 5 years. Emi has many links to Japanese corporate rugby teams, and being from Japan, she understands the market well in this ever changing landscape. Like Stewart, Emi has been involved and responsible for negotiating a number of high profile playing and coaching contracts in Japan.

Dave Northend – Director

Dave has over twenty four years’ experience in the sports industry. Dave has been involved in various aspects of sport including a sports travel company, a sports events management company and a sports management consultancy.

Over the last twelve years, Dave has been instrumental in assisting various professional sports personalities in the commercial sector. Dave has been involved in several global high profile signings such as Springbok international, Johann Muller in his move to Ulster.