Just two weeks after the release of the first ever rugby boot designed for women, Adidas have dropped another bomb:
An all-new jersey for our Black Ferns, ahead of their 2025 World Cup campaign.
These jerseys have been specifically designed for each player to fit their positional needs and demands, and they have a beautiful, slick new look.
Centred around a weave design, selected by players themselves, the new kit represents "an unbreakable bond and strength of people and cultures".
Black Ferns stars Katelyn Vaha’akolo, Maia Roos and the iconic Portia Woodman shared their thoughts on what wearing the new jerseys means to them, calling it "an honour".
Check out this video below:
Vaha’akolo pointed out one of her favourite features in the collar, which has ‘Serve the Fern’ written across it.
“Service is really important to us,” she said. “Not just to our team, but to our families and culture.”
She was stoked about the cultural patterns featured on the jersey, describing it as “really beautiful”, an “honour”, and “something to treasure for indigenous people.”
Woodman gave more insight into the significance the weave has for the Black Ferns: “It brings in different cultures… we have players from all sorts of cultures - Samoan, Māori, Tongan, Fijian, our Pakeha whānau as well.
“It allows that connection through weaving.”
Woodman says that the unification of all the Black Ferns on one jersey is “beautiful” and it “encapsulates what the Black Ferns are all about”.
Roos said it reminded her of a familiar quote: “It may be rough in texture, but it was woven.”
She interprets that as “the journey might not be perfect, but there’s purpose in that, and I think that’s such a great reflection of our team.
“We’ve had so many challenges as women in this space and what we’ve come together to make is beautiful and that weave pattern represents that perfectly.”
It is clear that the cultural significance of these jerseys is so special to these athletes, but what about the practical side of things? What’s the benefit there?
The ‘on-pitch’ version for the athletes representing Aotearoa at the World Cup will feature a brand-new, engineered performance fabric that has a distinctive feel.
The new all-white, fold-over collar that Vaha’akolo spoke about is part of a ‘raglan sleeve’ that extends the piece fully to the collar. This allows more space and movement in the sternum and shoulder areas.
Also included in the new design is a refreshed take on the fern. It now comes in a spiral shape inspired by the “unfurling frond of the native New Zealand fern”, symbolising strength, growth and new beginnings.
This new fern is on both sides of the shirt and the back of the shorts, created to represent the sisterhood of the Black Ferns, and their ambition to protect this unbreakable bond.
It also has a practical significance, with a 3D texture that players can use to wipe excess moisture from their hands.
I, for one, can't wait to see our wāhine rocking it on the world stage!
