The Rugby World Cup

[NZ Monkey]

I have to admit something that makes me an outcast in my own country - I am not a rabid rugby fan. I'm not even a fan at all to be honest. If anything was capable of making me one though, it'd be the atmosphere surrounding the opening ceremony here in Auckland. I have never seen the city as crowded and festive as it was on Friday night!

I'm hoping one of the English supporters out there can answer a question for me. Has there been any sort of sensible reason given for the change in the English jersey from white to black for this competition? There's been a fair bit of laughing down here in New Zealand about it being some sort of lame mind game or an attempt to garner more local support for the team while they're in New Zealand. I can only assume there is more to it than that though since it doesn't take a lot of foresight to see how that would backfire, and it isn't as if there's a lack of support for the English here anyway.....

The New Zealand media has made something of a joke out of it and then let it blow over a while ago, but I don't recall ever seeing the item from the English point of veiw. Are changes in uniform common at these events? Am I missing something really obvious?

[FirstMove]

England will probably be playing all of their remaining games in white. Argentina's kit contains white, so the "away" country has to wear its second choice of kit. There are other teams in the competition with white in their first kits, but they're likely to get knocked-out before they meet England.

Second kits are often white in rugby - I recall NZ playing in white against Scotland a few years ago. I don't think anyone in England got excited about it.

[fandangle]

I think it's funny. That the England team would "dare" to wear the vaunted colours of the mighty All Blacks. That was probably just designed to get the All Blacks backs up and upset their mindset for the preparations and it seems to have worked. Of course, it means nothing to anyone else, just a ploy. Not really important enough to even warrant a post here.

[cederic]

I've no idea why we went for it. Doesn't look good, and definitely didn't help our rugby.

Not feeling entirely confident about this tournament anyway. I think it's South Africa's turn to win.

[geoff332]

I'm hoping one of the English supporters out there can answer a question for me. Has there been any sort of sensible reason given for the change in the English jersey from white to black for this competition? There's been a fair bit of laughing down here in New Zealand about it being some sort of lame mind game or an attempt to garner more local support for the team while they're in New Zealand. I can only assume there is more to it than that though since it doesn't take a lot of foresight to see how that would backfire, and it isn't as if there's a lack of support for the English here anyway.....

My suspicion is Nike are trying to get one over Adidas. It's pure marketing.

Second kits are often white in rugby - I recall NZ playing in white against Scotland a few years ago. I don't think anyone in England got excited about it.

New Zealand have normally used a white alternate strip (our sporting colours are black and white; the early NZ Rugby teams played in black shirts with white shorts and black and white socks; I think it was the originals in 1905 that introduced the all black kit; but it might have been earlier). England's traditional sporting colours are red and white and their alternate strip has usually been red. They decided to change it for this tour. I think the numbers falling off was strangle symbolic...

I think it's funny. That the England team would "dare" to wear the vaunted colours of the mighty All Blacks. That was probably just designed to get the All Blacks backs up and upset their mindset for the preparations and it seems to have worked. Of course, it means nothing to anyone else, just a ploy. Not really important enough to even warrant a post here.

A number of teams have tried to upset the All Blacks with mind games; it rarely works. The Welsh decided to (arbitrarily) change the timing of the Haka in 2006. The All Blacks decided to do the Haka in their dressing room and then came out and beat Wales by 35 points; I believe that's Wales biggest ever defeat at home. There are similar cases elsewhere: it's not usually a good idea to irritate the All Blacks. That said, I doubt this particular issue has had any major effect on the All Blacks themselves. I put this on a par with bringing Alistair Campbell as a spin doctor on the 2005 Lions tour - one where the All Blacks comprehensively beat the Lions three times.

The overwhelming response in NZ is that choosing to play in Black in NZ (a number of teams are doing this) is somewhere between slightly sad, slightly silly and slightly pathetic.

In terms of winners, based on form, there are only two teams to consider: the All Blacks and Australia. No other team has looked even vaguely consistent. But you can never discount upsets in a knock-out tournament.

[NZ Monkey]

My suspicion is Nike are trying to get one over Adidas. It's pure marketing.

Getting one over on Adidas is nothing to brag about right now. Their name is mud after the recent official jersey fiasco here.....

But you can never discount upsets in a knock-out tournament.

No you can't, and as I understand it there's no lack of talent across the competition. If anything is going to motivate an improvement in a teams performance the World Cup has to be it.

As the cliche goes, it's not the better team that wins - it's the better team on the day that does.

[FirstMove]

England's traditional sporting colours are red and white and their alternate strip has usually been red.

Maybe in football. Until fairly recently, England's rugby kit has been an all white top (but for the rose), white shorts and navy blue socks. The second kit was typically navy blue or red.