Rugby: Special jerseys for All Blacks' best players

CARDIFF - The All Blacks' best players in tests on this tour are being rewarded with special jerseys to wear at training honouring a former captain and thousands of soldiers who died in the First World War.

Four training jerseys have had a black and white photo ingrained into the back depicting the 1924 All Blacks team visiting the Belgian gravesite of Dave Gallaher, captain of the first All Blacks touring team -- known as The Originals.

The scheme was a combined initiative from management and players with an aim to introduce camaraderie and a sense of pride in New Zealand history.

The jerseys will be awarded after each test to the players who the coaches regard as having the best games in four "mini units" of the field.

The recipients this week following Saturday's test against Italy were centre Conrad Smith (outside backs), second five-eighth Tana Umaga (inside backs), flanker Richie McCaw (loose forwards), while the tight forward honour was shared by prop Carl Hayman and hooker Anton Oliver.

It was appropriate that Oliver should be one of the recipients.

He was visibly moved four years ago when the touring All Blacks team visited the Nine Elms British cemetery where Gallaher is buried.

The cemetary, home to the Passchendaele monument built by the New Zealand Government, honours the thousands of New Zealand lives lost in the war, including Gallaher's.

On October 14, 1917, about 2000 lives alone were lost within hours on a small ridge adjacent to the cemetary.

Oliver said all young New Zealanders who travel to Europe should try to go to the monument in the remote Belgian countryside.

- NZPA