All Blacks Jersey

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Lore & Background

The team's first match was in 1888 against Hawke's Bay. This was followed by a tour of Europe in 1888 and 1889 where the team played their first games against national teams, beating Ireland in Dublin before drawing with England and losing to Wales. Their early uniforms consisted of a black jersey with a silver fern and white knickerbockers. The New Zealand Māori perform a haka before each match. The All Blacks had already worn black before the Māori team, and their adoption of the haka is a separate tradition. In 2001, the Māori first performed the 'Tīmatanga' haka, which describes the evolution of life and the creation of New Zealand from the four winds. Since being given official status in 1910, the New Zealand Māori have selected some of rugby union's great players, including fullback George Nēpia who played 46 games for New Zealand from 1924 to 1930, halfback Sid Going who played 86 matches for his country and former All Blacks captain Tane Norton, who represented New Zealand in 61 games, including 27 tests, and later became president of the New Zealand Rugby Union.

In Their Own Story

The history of the black shirt is marked by specific turning points in rugby heritage. On October 3, 1888, against Surrey, the New Zealand Natives performed their first haka and wore their first all-black uniform, setting a precedent that would influence the national team. The source highlights that the All Blacks later adopted both these black shirts and the haka from the Māori team. A significant moment in the modern era occurred on 24 June 2025, when Head Coach Ross Filipo named a squad for internationals against Japan XV and Scotland, continuing the lineage of players wearing this historic kit. The jersey has also witnessed triumphs such as the 2004 Churchill Cup final victory over England Saxons in extra time and the 2008 IRB Pacific Nations Cup title where they narrowly beat Australia A.

Reader's Guide

The team was renamed the Māori All Blacks in 2012, having previously been called the New Zealand Maori and New Zealand Maoris. Many members have gone on to play for New Zealand.

Did You Know?

• The New Zealand Natives performed a haka before a match earlier on their 1888–89 tour, not for the first time on 3 October 1888.
• The team was officially renamed the Māori All Blacks in 2012 after previously being known as the New Zealand Maori, New Zealand Maoris and New Zealand Natives.
• Fullback George Nēpia remains one of the most notable players to wear the jersey, playing 46 games for New Zealand from 1924 to 1930.