KEY POINTS:
CARDIFF - France have backed down in the battle over playing strips ahead of tomorrow's rugby World Cup quarterfinal against New Zealand, saying they are prepared to wear a white strip if necessary.
The drawn out saga over who wears what in tomorrow's match at Millennium Stadium crystallised today when France told the International Rugby Board (IRB) they would compromise on their deep dark blue outfit as long as the All Blacks still wore their alternate grey strip.
The two most likely scenarios are that France will keep their blue jersey and wear white shorts and socks, or that they will wear an all-white outfit which was to be sent from Paris this morning (NZ time).
It could lead to the farcical sight of neither team wearing their first-choice strip - with a New Zealand team dressed in grey playing a French side in all white.
All Blacks coach Graham Henry again side-stepped the issue today, saying it was irrelevant to him and the players.
"As far as we know, we're going to be wearing silver," he said.
"It's got the same technology as the other (jersey), we've got no concern about that.
"It'll be a contrast of colours, and that's the main thing isn't it?"
A coin toss on Tuesday was the start of what has turned into a messy and unwanted issue for the IRB.
All Blacks manager Darren Shand lost the toss, meaning his side had to forfeit their traditional All Black outfit for the grey uniform they wore against Scotland in Edinburgh two weeks ago.
That game was spoiled visually as the alternate strip closely resembled Scotland's.
Concerned about a repeat this weekend, host broadcasters ITV have spent three days running television screen comparisons on both All Blacks' strips against the French outfit, which is considerably darker for this tournament than their traditional blue.
Neither combination suited ITV and the IRB today asked France if they would change.
French manager Jo Maso said his team had agreed to compromise mainly because the sellout crowd of nearly 80,000 spectators and millions of television viewers deserved to watch a quality spectacle.
The issue was expected to be concluded later today (NZ time) but don't expect All Blacks captain Richie McCaw to lose sleep over the outcome.
"It doesn't change a whole lot at all," he said.
"Whether we're wearing black or have to change, the boys haven't really thought about it this week.
"The jersey doesn't decide whether you play well or not, it's the guys that put the jersey on."
- NZPA
