All Blacks' tops all style, little substance

By STUART DYE

Rugby chiefs will reassess the All Blacks' "revolutionary" new jerseys after several were torn in Saturday night's demolition of the Welsh.

New Zealand may have romped to victory but the skin-tight tops, made from an elastic lycra-type weave, could be dropped before the next test.

Three players had to change their jerseys after the slick fabric failed to survive being scragged by a desperate Welsh defence.

The torn jerseys will be sent back to Germany for scrutiny by the designers, adidas, the All Black sponsors.

NZRFU deputy chief executive Steve Tew said the union would meet designers this week to reassess the effectiveness of the new gear.

"We need to try to work out if there is an issue or an ongoing problem that we did not expect," he said yesterday.

The jerseys were intended to make the All Blacks more difficult for opponents to grasp. They are worn only by the backs; the forwards need looser garments for binding in rucks, mauls and scrums.

On Saturday, Joe Rokocoko, Steve Devine and Daniel Carter - who starred with 20 points on his debut - all had to discard torn jerseys. Tana Umaga and Keven Mealamu had theirs ripped in last week's defeat by England.

"I didn't feel it rip or anything but I saw a rip on the side so I got that changed," Carter said.

"They're good jerseys but I'm sure adidas will take them back to the factory and see what's happening there."

Despite this, Mr Tew said the players were all positive about the outfits.

The 26-man squad and management will be consulted before any changes are made.

"We would not want to withdraw the shirts if the players are happy. We will have that conversation in the coming week," said Mr Tew.

The fabric and designs were developed at adidas headquarters over the past two years. The sportswear giant, which has extended its $20-million-a-year deal with the NZRFU to 2011, had planned the innovations for the All Blacks' World Cup campaign.

Craig Lawson, adidas managing director for New Zealand, said: "We are constantly evaluating and making improvements where possible.

"We are working to give the All Blacks a competitive advantage which could be critical in a crucial fixture.

"You have to be realistic - I played rugby for four years and saw shirts ripped in every game.

"It's been happening for a hundred years," said Mr Lawson.

"We are pushing the boundaries of technology, innovation and development, and everyone else is following us."

It is not the first time adidas innovations have courted controversy.

The company's rugby balls were dumped for All Blacks' home tests and the NPC after criticism from players, led by Andrew Mehrtens.