Read happy with new jersey logo
All Blacks captain Kieran Read has given the thumb’s up to the new badge on the jerseys his side will wear against the British and Irish Lions.
New Zealand has posted a picture of the logo, which features the native fern inside a crest along with the dates 1904 and 2017, on Twitter.
A touring Great Britain side first played the All Blacks in 1904.
The post was accompanied by the words ‘‘Our legacy. Our jersey.’’ Although the design of the fern hasn’t changed, the lines bordering the famous logo are new.
New Zealand Rugby later said the new badge, or crest, was inspired by that worn by the All Blacks in 1930 against the Lions. New Zealand won that series 3-1.
The new badge features the iconic silver fern All Blacks logo and the years ‘1904’ and ‘2017’ inscribed above and below. Read said he liked the new design.
‘‘It’s always an honour to pull on the All Blacks jersey but an even greater honour to have a special edition jersey for what will be a pretty cool occasion for all of us.
‘‘I love the simplicity of the design and the nod to the past in the crest design. This series will be adding to the legacy of our team, and that’s something that is important not just to me, but everyone who has gone before us.’’
This is not the first time New Zealand Rugby have permitted adidas to tinker with the design of their jersey.
The most recent example was when the All Blacks played France in Paris last year. A new jersey, which featured a large band of white from the waist to the chest area, was worn at Stade de France.
The fern was titled slightly to accommodate the name of sponsor AIG in the middle of the garment, while the adidas logo was prominent on the right breast.
Changing the design is sure to provoke a reaction from some supporters. Previously some diehard supporters have stated they would prefer the national rugby jersey remain unchanged.
The All Blacks will meet the Lions in a three-test series, with the first in Auckland on June 24.