Phew! we can still play in black jerseys

By WYNNE GRAY

Threats to outlaw the famous All Black jersey have been averted.

The black jersey, the most recognisable international rugby uniform, had come under pressure because of International Rugby Board inquiries about safety in sport.

For some time the IRB wanted to ban black headgear because they felt it camouflaged wounds when players should have been ordered off to the bloodbin.

Had that remit been passed, the New Zealand Rugby Union was concerned that the All Black jersey would be the next target.

"It was a huge issue and we felt there could have been a threat to the black jersey," NZRFU chief executive David Rutherford said yesterday.

"If the IRB believed there was a genuine safety issue with the headgear we might have had a problem.

"We were concerned we might have been pushed into wearing light-coloured jerseys."

Problems about the headgear came to the fore late last year when there were objections to several All Blacks using black headgear during a match against France in Paris.

Instead of using alternative light grey protection, Norm Maxwell and Daryl Gibson played bareheaded.

They collided during the game, with Maxwell suffering a huge cut above his eye and Gibson a cut to existing head injuries.

This infuriated the All Blacks and the NZRFU.

"We concede that safety is paramount, but all our advice said black headgear did not conceal any blood wounds," Rutherford said.

The NZRFU had put a lot of medical and legal research into discussions with the IRB.

And it was relieved that the game's governing body had finally agreed that the black headgear was appropriate, Rutherford said.

That concession was one of several IRB changes in Copenhagen, including:

* A decision to adopt a New Zealand amendment to the maul law which allows five seconds to restart a maul once, instead of the "use-it-or-lose-it" law.

* A decision to ensure players supported in the lineout are lowered to the ground once possession is won.

Both changes apply from June 1.

Rutherford has also been appointed to a new IRB committee that will discuss submissions about the need to restructure a global season.

"There will be a couple of meetings in June and September where I will take the views of the Sanzar countries about the best way of addressing the problems," he said.

"I think the first window we have to look at and sort out is one for the internationals in both hemispheres.

"That is the most critical place to start."

Meanwhile, the NZRFU is expected to announce a record income of $76 million at next week's annual meeting.

After distributions to unions and huge costs such as the $26.6 million on players' contracts, the NZRFU made a surplus of $3.8 million, up from $2.7 million the previous year.