New Wallabies jerseys 'virtually indestructible'

Benn Robinson (L) and Berrick Barnes model the new Wallabies playing kit. Photo / Getty Images

SYDNEY - Technology and tradition have been combined in the new Wallabies jersey, which comes with the claim that it is "virtually indestructible".

Manufacturer and designer KooGa unveiled the Wallabies 2010 apparel yesterday claiming some world firsts for their design.

The 2010 jersey is more gold in its appearance than its predecessor and includes carbon fibre, which the manufacturer claims is a first for a contact sport.

While carbon fibre has been known to break in the past, KooGa officials were confident their shirt would survive the stresses and strains imposed on it by beefy 120 kilogram front rowers.

"In our design team we actually do have Australia's strongest man, he's a 165 kilogram behemoth and this fibre was tested thoroughly by him to make sure it doesn't break," a KooGa spokesperson told reporters on Monday.

"He's a former prop himself and obviously we don't want players going on to the field and jumpers breaking so we ensured first hand that these will not break."

The design of the shirt includes having the southern cross embossed into the material.

Wallabies inside back Berrick Barnes hailed the new Wallaby socks which the designers are claiming as a world first as they have combined a compression sock with a padded foot.

"The biggest improvement for me is the socks, it's something that hasn't been done before," Barnes said.

"As a back and a guy that has had cramping issues in the past, I think it's a good evolvement to put compression socks with normal padded stuff underneath."

The manufacturers emphasised the cooling elements of the new kit, which included side panels on the shorts on which players could wipe their sweaty hands.

- AAP