All Black Teams To Wear White Jerseys In The Tests.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19070, 15 May 1930, Page 7

All Black Teams To Wear White Jerseys In The Tests.

BLACK KNICKERS AND BLACK STOCKINGS WITH WHITE TOPS COMPLETE UNIFORM. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 14. THE Management Committee of the New Zealand Rugby Union decided to-night that, for the purpose of the test matches, the New Zealand team will play in white jerseys, with a silver fern on the breast, black knickers and black stockings with white tops.

MR WILSON DISCUSSES MATTER OF TRADITION

“ I am sorry to see that we have to change the All Blacks’ colour to all white when playing against the British Rugby team in the tests, but we should be courteous to the visitors,” stated Mr S. F. Wilson, president of the Canterbury Rugby Union, to-day.

“ I think that it was unfortunate that the Britishers chose a colour similar to ours. A British side in the past has had no well-defined international colours from a football point of view. England plays in white, Ireland in green, Wales in red, and I think that Scotland has a dark blue. In that case I was of opinion that the British side would play in red, white and blue. In view, however, of their having chosen a colour more or less similar to ours, we are practically justified in changing.

“ The matter of tradition enters into the question, but it must be remembered that Oxford University, who play in dark blue, changed to white when the All Blacks were matched against them in 1924. “ Oxford has traditions greater than ours, and the alteration is the only thing we could have done in the circumstances, as we should be courteous to the visitors.” In reply to a question, Mr Wilson said that he did not think New Zealand was giving away too much to the visitors in the matter of rules and colours. When New Zealand obtained a dispensation from the English Rugby Union to play under the amended rules, it was agreed that international matches should be played under the International Board rules. Therefore the Dominion, in doing so, was merely following the agreement, as had been done when the Springboks pla3 r ed in New Zealand in 1921. Change-over Criticised. Questioned this morning regarding the change-over of the New Zealand team to white jerseys for the tests, Mr A. C. C. Robilliard, an ex-All Black, said that to him it did not seem the right thing to change the international colours. “New Zealand has always worn the black jersey with the silver fern, and teams coming over from England should stick, to the red, white and blue. They knew that New Zealand’s colour was black, and decided on a colour which was almost the same.” Continuing, Mr Robilliard said: “It does not seem quite the thing to me to have to change the international colours. There was nothing to stop the British team wearing any other colour, and New Zealand couldn’t very well get a silver fern on a white jersey. The British team will be wearing dark blue jerseys, with three gold lines on the breast, and the New Zealand uniform will be white jersey with a silver fern on the breast, black knickners, with black stockings and white tops.

Is their action an accusation agamst the British team of indulging in slim tactics by adopting as a uniform something that would lead to confusion ■when playing against the All Blacks of New Zealand? A dash of whitewash smeared on the All Blacks’ costume, will to the waggish mind irresistibly suggest the odious term of ‘piebalds’. “Can a greater insult be offered to our gallant representatives, who have for so many years past given stirring object lessons of how the great game of Rugby football can be played? We trust that it is not too late for some action to be taken which will prevent the finger of scorn being pointed at New Zealand through the obvious fact of Rugby Union mismanagement being caught in what may be termed a blue funk,”