All Blacks honour The Originals
New Zealand Rugby have paid homage to the most iconic of All Blacks teams, The Originals, in the design of their World Cup jersey which includes the latest in sporting apparel technology.
Developed with the input of All Blacks management and senior players, the jersey features a special design across the shoulders and chest – inspired by the famous leather yoke which adorned The Originals jersey.
The subtle design change pays respect to the legendary Originals team which toured the United Kingdom, France and the USA in 1905-06 – losing just one match on their famous 35-match tour.
"To wear a jersey with a design that represents the nation's proud rugby heritage and reflects the team's success since that iconic team of 1905-06 is hugely significant to us. We're ready to wear the World Cup jersey with pride," All Blacks Captain Richie McCaw, who was consulted over the design, said.
As with previous Rugby World Cup jerseys, the RWC trophy is embossed on the right sleeve of the jersey acknowledging the All Blacks' World Cup successes in 1987 and 2011, respectively. As with other World Cup jerseys, the World Cup 2015 logo takes its place on the right while the All Blacks silver fern logo remains on the left hand side of the jersey.
Gun metal silver is the colour of choice used for the All Blacks logos as well as the jersey numbers on the back.
"The mana behind the jersey combines everything the country and our sport stands for. It's an honour to provide our players with the opportunity to wear a jersey which pays respects to our rugby ancestors," New Zealand Rugby Chief Executive Steve Tew said.
The fabric and technological advances in the World Cup jersey were first unveiled in the "blackest" All Blacks jersey launched in November 2014.
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