Wallaby yellow earns Lachlan all-black looks

Auckland schoolboy Lachlan Emmerson escapes a tackle while trialling the new Australian jersey. Picture / Brett Phibbs

In the bone-jarring world of schoolboy rugby, an Aussie jersey is like a red rag to a bull.

So Lachlan Emmerson must have a death wish.

The 15-year-old Australian is testing a new Wallaby rugby jersey, deep within enemy territory at Auckland's Rosmini College.

It is attracting a good deal of attention - and it has not even been seen by the Australians yet.

Lachlan took the Canterbury of New Zealand-designed jersey for a test run during practice with his 4th grade Rosmini team yesterday.

His task is to wear the jersey for a certain number of sessions, then return the garment to Canterbury of New Zealand, where it will be examined.

It will then be repaired, and returned to him to keep.

It sounds like a bit of a kamikaze mission for Lachlan, particularly as his coach is former All Black flanker Kevin Barry.

One would expect that seeing a flash of Aussie yellow would make an old All Black see red, but Mr Barry yesterday heaped praise on the plucky Ocker.

"He's a good boy, that Lachlan. A good little player, a good halfback. He's quite smart."

But he did wonder at the wisdom of taking the jersey for a test spin with a group of aspiring ABs.

"The guys will motor him down."

Lachlan appeared a little apprehensive as he warmed up for training yesterday afternoon, but he put on a brave face as his teammates talked ominously of "spear tackles" and "extra rucking".

"Lachy is going to get wasted," said one fellow fourth-grader gleefully.

But he, and the jersey, both came through the training run without any serious mishaps.

"There was bit of unnecessary mud in the face," Lachlan said. "These are my teammates, but they can't help it with an Australian jersey, I suppose."

And no regrets: "I'm a proud Australian, I'll take a beating for it."

The new-look jersey is a snug-fit with lycra side panels to minimise jersey-grabbing from other players. It incorporates the research of textile experts in Britain and is made of a lighter fabric that keeps moisture away from the body.

It has "great moisture management", according to Canterbury, and it might be right, if the disdainful comments of one player are anything to go by.

"Yeah, it sucks."

The privilege - or punishment - fell into Lachlan's lap after a friend's mother, Trish Mark, from Canterbury of New Zealand's design and merchandising team, took the jersey to his home.

Mr Barry had his reservations about helping out the Wallabies.

"We don't like it, but we will tolerate it for the sake of experimenting ... since it's a New Zealand company."

One can only wonder what will happen when Canterbury is asked to come up with new jerseys for its other clients, which include the Scottish, Irish and South African rugby teams.

The Wallabies will give the jersey its first serious try-out against England on June 11.