There are rugby jerseys, and then there’s the Black Ferns World Cup kit—a garment stitched not just with thread but with mana, meaning, and a smidge of muscle memory from scrummaging.
adidas has pulled back the curtain on the official strip for the Black Ferns as they prepare to defend their World Champion crown at the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. And let’s just say—it’s no ordinary bit of polyester.
This isn’t some last-minute knock-up with a fern slapped on the front. No, the Black Ferns World Cup kit is a collaboration between players, culture, and cutting-edge fabric technology.
At the heart of the design lies a powerful weave pattern—chosen by the team themselves after lengthy kōrero with adidas—that speaks to the unbreakable bond among cultures, communities, and teammates. Yes, it looks sharp, but it means something too.
The players-only version of the jersey, stitched from a newly engineered performance fabric, brings a tailored edge to tradition.
Meanwhile, fans can get their hands on a replica version that shares the same woven soul—albeit via a debossed all-over print that’s less sweat-wicking, more selfie-ready.
One standout feature, literally, is the return of the fold-over white collar, a nod to jerseys of yesteryear. Built with a raglan sleeve structure to give more movement around the shoulders and sternum (read: less chafing, more charging), it’s a small detail that came straight from player feedback. Because if there’s one thing the Black Ferns aren’t, it’s silent about what they need to win.
But it’s the new take on the fern motif that truly lifts this kit from merely functional to something closer to spiritual. Inspired by the unfurling koru of the native silver fern, the design spirals across the jersey’s side panels and the back of the shorts.
The twist? This isn’t just decorative. The 3D-printed texture gives players a spot to wipe moisture from their hands in crunch moments. It’s cultural symbolism with a utility belt.
To ensure every jersey fits as well as it performs, each player was body-scanned to tailor it precisely to the positional needs of backs, forwards, and everyone in between. This isn’t one-size-fits-all. It’s one-squad-fits-right.
Cultural weight also runs deep in the details. adidas joined forces with artist Teresa Murray from the New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute (Te Puia) to design a bespoke turapa panel—featuring patterns like Poutama, Kaokao, and Niho Taniwha—that visually tells the story of sisterhood, struggle, and excellence.
The squad’s journey was further captured in a short film, showing how the idea of weave runs through every part of their game and identity—from hair braiding to wrist strapping to the way they link arms before battle.
Kerryn Foster, General Manager of adidas Specialist Sports, summed it up: “The black jersey holds great significance to the people of New Zealand – and never more so than in a Rugby World Cup year. For this kit, our focus was on providing the Black Ferns squad with a performance-first kit ready for the demands of the game on the biggest stage, that also empowers and authentically represents the squad as a collective.
Whether it’s the weave design, the return to a fold-over white collar or the sunrise-inspired training gear, this range has the Black Ferns input throughout and we can’t wait to see them wearing it as they defend their title as World Champions later this year.”
Ruahei Demant, who’ll no doubt lead by thunderous example come kickoff, added: “Everyone knows the magnitude of this year for the squad as we head to England to defend our status as World Champions – it will be a hard-fought tournament from start to finish.
The jersey is so important to New Zealand and to us as the players who get to wear it on the world stage. It represents the dedication you need to wear it, but also the dedication from our whānau and friends to help us get here. To have the opportunity to be a part of the creative process was a special experience and I hope it resonates with our fans the way it does with us.”
And in case the jersey itself didn’t bring enough heat, adidas is also rolling out a bold new training range. Think sunrise over Tāmaki Makaurau: deep purples, golden oranges, warm yellows. It’s the first bespoke World Cup training gear the Black Ferns have ever had, and it comes in t-shirts, singlets, gym shorts, track tops, and hoodies. Even on the other side of the world, it’ll be hard not to feel a bit of home.
For those eager to suit up like their heroines, the fan version of the Black Ferns World Cup kit—alongside the training range—is available now in men’s, women’s, and youth sizes at selected retailers and online at www.adidas.com/rugby.
So whether you’re lacing up your boots or planting yourself on the couch, one thing’s for sure: this jersey is more than just a kit. It’s a statement, a symbol, and maybe—just maybe—maybe-the start of another chapter in New Zealand rugby folklore.
