The Black Ferns' brand new jersey means so much more than just kit - it bears the legacy of teams past, Ashley Stanley discovers.
There will come a day where the ‘firsts’ in women’s sport are no longer considered news, but rather the norm.
Unveiling a Black Ferns jersey will be part of the New Zealand team’s playing commitments, and will be just as common as their impressive winning record.
But until that day arrives, LockerRoom will cover the important ‘firsts’ for our female athletes.
Like the very first Black Ferns jersey designed by the players, with Adidas, that has their own specific needs considered and weaved throughout the environmentally-friendly playing kit.
For Rugby World Cup winner Renee Wickliffe, being able to have an input in the design of the jersey is something unique.
“It’s a special feeling, it’s news. I just can’t wait to actually wear it,” says Wickliffe, who'll also be getting one for her eight-year-old daughter.
It’s awesome for her to just be able to see them playing in the black jersey, Wickliffe says.
“But I think if we get to explain it to her so she understands what it's made from, where it's made, how all the girls had an input into it, and she gets a bit of an understanding, I think that’s special as well. There's a bit of a story behind it,” she says. Wickliffe’s fiancee is Black Ferns Sevens Olympic gold medallist Portia Woodman.
Wickliffe has been part of the Black Ferns' family for over 10 years in their 30-year dominating history. The launch also means family members have the option to purchase jerseys instead of relying on “hand me downs.”
Black Ferns midfielder Chelsea Alley feels the jersey launch represented quite a “few firsts.”
“Like Renee said, we had an input into the style of the jersey, and because it's a bespoke women’s one, that’ll make a difference for us,” says Alley. “Acknowledging that we do have different body types as female athletes.
“But also this is the first time we’ve had a jersey launch with the All Blacks boys which is special for both of us. So yeah, hopefully a sign of things to come in the future.”
Both players can tell the difference in the design when compared to previous versions they’ve proudly worn.
“It’s not the typical when we put on a jersey and it’s the men's fit where it’s a bit baggier in the shoulders and skinnier in the waist, it fits us a bit nicer," Alley says.
It’s been a bit of a process, a two-year collaboration, that started when the Black Ferns toured the United States in 2018 and were able to visit the Adidas office in Portland. The design stage was amazing to be a part of, says Alley.
“Just seeing what innovation goes into every single thing they [Adidas] make, into their shoes, into their clothes, for different sports, and then being able to use their full body scanner which was incredible,” she says.
The team were asked to mimic different rugby poses in the body scanner in Portland, including running, kicking, passing and fending, so all the data captured helped design the jersey.
It wasn’t just the moment that was special for the players, the jersey itself has a unique make-up. It has primeblue, a high-performance recycled material that is plastic taken from remote islands, beaches, coastal communities and shorelines, and knitted materials that allow for temperature regulation.
The All Blacks will wear their new jersey on Saturday when they take on Australia at Eden Park in the first game of the Bledisloe Cup.
But the Black Ferns will have to wait a little longer to run out in theirs. They’ll be in the new strip when they play Australia in the first game of the O’Reilly Cup in Christchurch in late September - the first international match they’ve played since 2019.
Earlier this year, another watershed moment was announced for the women’s game, at a global level.
World Rugby secured a five-year partnership with Mastercard. The relationship aims to help the development of women in rugby and set the scene as the first worldwide partner for the 2021 and 2025 Rugby World Cups. Mastercard also became the first global partner of WXV, the annual global women’s competition due to start in 2023.
But closer to home, Alley will enjoy this moment in the Black Ferns history. She adds the jersey is special because when it's more visible in New Zealand and around the world, the 2018 team will be able to reflect on their contribution to the first-of-its-kind kit.
“That’s something we will be able to hold onto forever,” says Alley. “And it will be a special part of our legacy and the team.”
