KEY POINTS:
New Zealand has been rebuffed repeatedly in its demands for teams to play in their traditional colours at the Rugby World Cup.
The latest appeal by NZRU chief executive Chris Moller during this tournament was met with another refusal by his International Rugby Board counterpart Mike Miller. Instead, the All Blacks face a coin toss against France to decide what jerseys they will wear for their Cardiff quarter-final.
The toss, due to be held early today when the All Blacks arrived in Cardiff, has now been delayed until tomorrow.
If the All Blacks lose the toss they would play in their alternate silver strip unless the referee or match commissioner said there was no clash, Mr Moller said yesterday.
"France are not going to want to change their jersey and it seems the IRB are not going to be able to force them."
The NZRU is perplexed about the uniform clashes, aggravated when the All Blacks were told to wear their alternate silver strip against Scotland though that left greater confusion.
Mr Moller said all teams were asked to submit their tournament apparel to World Cup organisers last year and the All Blacks had five pieces of gear returned for modifications.
"I assume France did the same thing ... and I assume they submitted their blue-black jersey and it was approved."
France have regularly played in a lighter blue jersey but in what is seen by many as a cynical marketing ploy by Nike, the manufacturers of the French jersey, to provoke a conflict with the All Blacks' adidas clothing sponsor, they have produced an inky blue-black new kit.
Mr Moller said he first protested to RWC representatives and Miller about six months ago, without success, and then raised the topic again at a meeting of national chief executives in July: "There was no support ... for there to be a process to ensure that the jerseys or traditional values of the jerseys were maintained.
"I have re-raised our concern with Mike Miller again in the last week but there is nothing that can be done at the moment."
If France lose the toss and have to change their strip they will wear a white jersey broken by a blue diagonal slash.
The All Blacks suffered a setback well before they got to Cardiff.
Before the tournament, team managers drew marbles for their choice of hotels at quarter-final venues and the All Blacks earned the last pick.
The quarter-finalists in Cardiff were offered the choice of a city hotel the All Blacks have regularly stayed at or an out-of-town base at the Vale of Glamorgan used by Wales.
France have opted to stay in the city and the All Blacks will spend their week out of the city centre.
