It's black, it's tight and won on night

Dan Carter in the new strip. Photo / Getty Images

Lighter, more snug and with a style that harks back to the glory days of 1987.

The designers say it could prove the difference between winning and losing the World Cup, but whatever happens in the tournament in September and October, the consensus is the All Blacks will look mighty fine.

The team's World Cup strip was unveiled in the match against South Africa in Wellington last night, with adidas saying it weighed half that (185g) of its predecessor. A highlight for the fans was the return of a retro white collar, partly to link the shirt to its historical look and the last time the Kiwis won the world title - at home in 1987.

What the fans won't have seen on the screen last night was the technology that went into the jersey.

There were no surprises with the colour but the polyester, seamless, tubular design, with gold tape inside the neck, was a first for the nation's favourite team.

The torso is a seamless tube, with the sleeves, neck and collar bonded on to it. The design was created by adidas' German-based team and knitted in factories in Asia.

Players secretly tested the design by wearing jerseys in disguised colours while training for their Super rugby teams, said global category manager Mark Pepperell.

In an unconventional move last night, players stayed in their jackets for the national anthem, only removing them to reveal the new jerseys for the haka.

Dan Carter said the new design looked "really sharp" and believed it would give them an edge. It felt light and hugged the body and "hopefully will make it tougher for them to get hold of us".

And even former players rated it. Former All Black Grahame Thorne said: "It's taking it back to a more traditional look. I don't know whether it's a World Cup-winning jersey though. It's like a good bottle of wine, it's what's in them that counts."

Jerseys in his day were "rubbish" in comparison.

New Zealand's Next Top Model host Sara Tetro Tweeted: "And it looks amazing! Classy with history."

The designers are pleased. "It could come down to the 79th minute in the biggest game of the year and the difference between getting the ball across the line or not," Pepperell said.

He would not reveal the cost of the new technology, but said there was "considerable investment" involved in its development and testing.

Players could choose from eight sizes, depending on their preference for fit and position.

Richie McCaw and Sonny Bill Williams were two of those opting for the biggest sizes while Cory Jane favoured a snug fit.

BOOTS TAKE A GIANT TECHNOLOGICAL STEP

It's not just the new strip that could give the players an edge at the World Cup - boot technology has also taken some giant leaps forward.

All Blacks on the field last night wore up to four different types of boots made to suit their field position.

Ma'a Nonu's focus was keeping his speed in the backline, so has one of the lightest pairs around, with a strong body that also gave good grip for the side-step. He had had them on trial from adidas' German factory for four weeks.

Adidas claims that boot, at 165g, was the lightest rugby boot in the world.

For Dan Carter, adidas' Predator Rx model was the choice. He had had a say in its design, and the placement of rubber patches, or fins, had been tweaked in a bid to give him extra kicking power and control.

Captain Richie McCaw also worked with the design team to enhance his model of boot. It has an extra ankle lacehole to avoid feet popping out at the scrum.