Rule change could see All Blacks play in different colour

The All Blacks could be made to wear a light-coloured alternative kit in some future tests, including at this year’s Rugby World Cup, after World Rugby adopted a new uniform policy to accommodate fans with colour-blindness.

According to South African publication the Daily Maverick, World Rugby has quietly adopted a policy that will see nations wear ‘light’ or ‘dark’ kits to make it easier for spectators with colour vision deficiency, more commonly known as colour-blindness.

The policy, foreshadowed two years ago, was expected to come into practice in 2025 but World Rugby have begun working with nations to avoid kit clashes at this year’s World Cup, the report said.

The All Blacks have occasionally broken from tradition and worn alternative kits against France, most famously in the 2007 World Cup quarterfinal, due to the colour clash between the black of New Zealand and the dark blue of France, or when playing against Scotland.

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The All Blacks and hosts France will meet again at this year’s World Cup after being drawn to play each other in the tournament opener on September 9.

According to the Daily Maverick, the new uniform policy has been met with opposition by South Africa Rugby and New Zealand Rugby, with fears the Springboks and All Blacks would never get to play each other in their traditional colours again.

“While SA Rugby supports World Rugby’s ambition to make rugby as inclusive as possible, we have serious reservations about the potential impacts the application of the colour-blindness regulations may have, and believe they need further interrogation,” South Africa Rugby Union chief executive Rian Oberholzer told the Daily Maverick.

“For instance, it would mean that the Springboks and All Blacks would never meet again with both in their primary colours at any World Rugby event.

“The guidelines say that: ‘If only one person watching on the sidelines of the school field is having trouble following some elements of the game due to an avoidable kit clash, then rugby is letting them down.’

“But we believe that some or all of the 11 out of 12 males and 199 out of 200 women who are not colour-blind (on the statistical base presented) may also feel let down if the time-honoured traditions of the game are lost, setting aside the potential damage to the equity established in those colours and brands over centuries.”

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that the Wallabies have already agreed to wear white in their World Cup match with Portugal as the darker hue of gold Australia wears clashes with the red of the European minnows.