All Blacks Unveil New Jersey

The new All Black jersey has been unveiled overnight in London.

It's been marketed as “the blackest jersey ever”, but could also lay claim to being the most scientific rugby jersey ever.

Two years of research and development, including significant input from the players and the use of body mapping have gone into the jersey which uses revolutionary woven Carbon fabric.

The white collar is gone, there are shirts designed specifically for backs and forwards, while the sponsors logos and fern on the chest of the shirt have changed from white to gun metal silver.

Captain Richie McCaw says his first impression was the new jersey embodied what the All Blacks represent.

"As soon as I saw it I thought that look likes an All Black jersey should. There's a lot of other things that have gone into helping forwards and backs...but to me, I'm looking forward to wearing it."

In addition to the new jersey, the kit includes shorts that are more fitted, and compression socks.

McCaw says it's great someone has finally realised that forwards are different to backs.

"I don't know whether anyone else does. I don't know whether they do. I just know the big boys, especially in the front row, to have something to grip onto is pretty key for scrums. So to have that is pretty good."

He hopes the forward-specific shirts will help minimise scrum collapses.

Meanwhile, the All Blacks side to face England at Twickenham this weekend is revealed later today.

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