This weekend at Murrayfield, the All Blacks are set to don white jerseys, a rare sight for the New Zealand squad, as they face off against Scotland. The switch from their traditional black is due not just to a kit clash, but also to mark a special occasion: the centenary of Murrayfield Stadium.
Traditionally in rugby, it's the home team that swaps jerseys when colors clash. However, recent shifts in protocol now see visiting teams changing their colors, similar to football. This has been evident in the Six Nations, but the All Blacks' wardrobe change this Saturday is primarily to accommodate Scotland's commemorative blue jersey, which they will sport in hopes of securing their first win against New Zealand in their 120-year rugby history.
Meanwhile, the Springboks are also sporting white this season, but for a different reason. Their color choice aligns with World Rugby’s initiative to aid colorblind fans, a guideline that comes into play during specific international competitions.
Historically, touring teams would not carry an extra set of jerseys, relying instead on the hosts to switch. But this tradition has seen various exceptions lately. For instance, the All Blacks wore their classic black against France in New Zealand, while Scotland changed their kit in a game against the USA.
Despite World Rugby’s push for color consideration, it has not been universally adopted outside of Six Nations, with teams like the Springboks and All Blacks sticking to their iconic colors for the upcoming 'Greatest Rivalry' tour.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson brought a lighter note to the jersey discussion, sharing his experiences in Edinburgh:
"There’s a guy with bagpipes down on the corner for the last three days. I’m not sure if he’s supposed to be there or not but I’ll tell you what, it sounds like the same song… after a while they blur together,”
said Robertson.
The teams for the upcoming match are as follows:
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan.
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This weekend at Murrayfield, the All Blacks are set to don white jerseys, a rare sight for the New Zealand squad, as they face off against Scotland. The switch from their traditional black is due not just to a kit clash, but also to mark a special occasion: the centenary of Murrayfield Stadium.
Traditionally in rugby, it's the home team that swaps jerseys when colors clash. However, recent shifts in protocol now see visiting teams changing their colors, similar to football. This has been evident in the Six Nations, but the All Blacks' wardrobe change this Saturday is primarily to accommodate Scotland's commemorative blue jersey, which they will sport in hopes of securing their first win against New Zealand in their 120-year rugby history.
Meanwhile, the Springboks are also sporting white this season, but for a different reason. Their color choice aligns with World Rugby’s initiative to aid colorblind fans, a guideline that comes into play during specific international competitions.
Historically, touring teams would not carry an extra set of jerseys, relying instead on the hosts to switch. But this tradition has seen various exceptions lately. For instance, the All Blacks wore their classic black against France in New Zealand, while Scotland changed their kit in a game against the USA.
Despite World Rugby’s push for color consideration, it has not been universally adopted outside of Six Nations, with teams like the Springboks and All Blacks sticking to their iconic colors for the upcoming 'Greatest Rivalry' tour.
All Blacks coach Scott Robertson brought a lighter note to the jersey discussion, sharing his experiences in Edinburgh:
"There’s a guy with bagpipes down on the corner for the last three days. I’m not sure if he’s supposed to be there or not but I’ll tell you what, it sounds like the same song… after a while they blur together,”
said Robertson.The teams for the upcoming match are as follows:
Scotland: 15 Blair Kinghorn, 14 Darcy Graham, 13 Rory Hutchinson, 12 Sione Tuipulotu, 11 Kyle Steyn, 10 Finn Russell, 9 Ben White, 8 Jack Dempsey, 7 Matt Fagerson, 6 Gregor Brown, 5 Grant Gilchrist, 4 Scott Cummings, 3 D’Arcy Rae, 2 Ewan Ashman, 1 Pierre Schoeman. Replacements: 16 George Turner, 17 Rory Sutherland, 18 Elliot Millar Mills, 19 Marshall Sykes, 20 Rory Darge, 21 Josh Bayliss, 22 Jamie Dobie, 23 Tom Jordan.
All Blacks: 15 Will Jordan, 14 Leroy Carter, 13 Leicester Fainga’anuku, 12 Quinn Tupaea, 11 Caleb Clarke, 10 Beauden Barrett, 9 Cam Roigard, 8 Peter Lakai, 7 Ardie Savea (c), 6 Wallace Sititi, 5 Fabian Holland, 4 Josh Lord, 3 Fletcher Newell, 2 Codie Taylor, 1 Ethan de Groot. Replacements: 16 Samisoni Tau