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New Zealand

All Blacks go white

Friday, November 27 The All Blacks will don white jerseys when they France in the highly anticipated clash at Stade Velodrome on Saturday.

New Zealand, who remain unbeaten on their end-of-year tour with successive victories over Wales (19-12), Italy (20-6) and England (19-6), will make history when they run out in a white strip for the first time against France due to the International Rugby Board's (IRB) edict that the away team change their strip if there is deemed to be a clash.

The jersey clash originated when France changed their jersey colour under a new sponsorship deal to a darker shade of blue. After losing a coin-toss before the 2007 World Cup quarterfinal, the All Blacks switched to their alternate ‘cursed’ grey strip, which they discarded in favour of the new white kit earlier this year.

Upon learning that France’s 2009 strip have gone lighter with white shorts, the All Blacks tried to revert to their traditional black kit but were informed the change in jerseys had already been signed off. The demand for having alternate home and away kits has systematically been brought over from soccer, replacing rugby’s tradition whereby home teams changed jerseys in such circumstances.

All Blacks coach Graham Henry feels that too much is being made of Saturday’s change.

"The All Blacks like to play in black, they would prefer to play in black, but they are playing in white, and they accept that and get on with it," Henry said.

Lock Brad Thorn says he is excited about playing in white and offered some impressive insight.

“I'd be pretty keen to keep it," Thorn said. "I remember them playing in the 1987 World Cup (against Scotland) in a white jersey and it was cool.

"I remember them as the alternate strip and it'll be unique to wear it.”

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By RagingBull - Castle Braai recommendations: 1
Can we say All Whites or is that racist?
| Parent

By Javelin - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
That is indeed racist, Raging Bull. If p-e-l was on here now you'd be taken to court Rolling Eyes
| Parent

By rickytherocket - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Nice one, RagingBull!
| Parent

By kiwijimmy89 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Haha no you can't raging bull because the All Whites are our soccer team
| Parent

By Alderton - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
classic
| Parent

By bringbackrucking - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
This mean technically the All Blacks can't win or lose this game!
| Parent

By jauk - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Well, now we will know if the shyt themselves in this game!
| Parent

By numb15 - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
The IRB's edict that away teams should change their kit?
So why was Ireland forced to play in white against South Africa today in Dublin?!
| Parent

By Gron - Castle Braai recommendations: 0
Huh? It's an Ireland game, so the only people who could have forced them was themselves. It was strange that Ireland chose to play in white jerseys, while the boks had theirs with them.
| Parent

By Comets - Castle Braai recommendations: 1
For a moment after the game, I thought Fiji had beaten France...haha..same jersyey
| Parent

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