All Blacks unveil their latest team jersey for the 2019 Rugby World Cup

The All Blacks have unveiled their jersey for the 2019 Rugby World Cup this morning in Auckland.

Adidas Y-3, the influential collaboration between sportswear giant Adidas and iconic Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, has been revealed as the designer behind our national rugby team's official jersey, in the lead up to the Rugby World Cup taking place across Japan September 20 - November 2.

The fusing of Maori and Japanese design aesthetics also extends to the design of the training jersey the All Blacks will wear at Rugby World Cup 2019. Taking inspiration from the Maori concept of kaitiaki (guardianship) and the Japanese fuku neko (lucky cat), the Y-3 team has designed a mythical cat figure which will adorn the back of the training jersey. The team will debut the jersey at the opening match of RWC2019 against South Africa on 21 September, with replica jerseys for fans and an accompanying training range available in New Zealand and globally from today.

“We’re all really excited ahead of the Rugby World Cup in Japan" says All Blacks captain Kieran Read. "It’s always special pulling on the All Blacks jersey, and to wear one that has used our culture to inspire the design will be especially cool. On behalf of the team, I want to thank the Y-3 team for all their work on the jersey.”

"The gap between what athletes are wearing and high-end fashion design is getting so much closer. It's awesome having a fashion designer on board design the jersey, it looks a lot cooler and feels a lot better," says All Blacks wing Rieko Ioane. 

“Fashion is so close to sport these days" adds halfback Aaron Smith. "We’re really lucky we have a really cool jersey and designers to come up with cool stuff. Sometimes black can be a bit boring but they’ve made this jersey look primo.”

The range will be stocked at all adidas stores, major sporting goods retailers, rugby retailers throughout New Zealand and the world, and online at adidas.com.

The All Blacks RWC2019 jersey

• Designed by Y-3, the collaboration label between adidas and legendary Japanese designer Yohji Yamamoto, the jersey is a fusion of Japanese and Maori design elements.
• The design bears hand-drawn koru and fern motifs in a celebration of Maori culture.
• The All Blacks will wear the jersey for the first time in their opening match of RWC2019 against South Africa on 21 September.
• Replica jerseys and the training range will be available to fans in New Zealand and globally from 1 July

-Additional reporting by Viva, New Zealand Herald