IS THIS IMAGE THE NZRU DIDN’T WANT YOU TO SEE?

Imagine seeing our Olympic athletes without their distinctive black uniforms and silver ferns?

Well this almost happened, in what has to be one of the most scandalous, yet relatively unknown, controversies in our countries sporting history.

Between 2001 at 2005 the N.Z Rugby Union tried unsuccessfully to register ‘black with a silver fern’ to be the sole intellectual property of the NZRU.

They were pissed off at 'knock-off' Chinese All Black jerseys popping up in souvenir shops.

But the ramifications of a successful application could have meant our rowers, cyclists, etc having to ask permission, or pay a rights fee, to wear the black jersey with a silver fern.

If the NZRU were successful in their attempts, ultimately The All Blacks could have ended-up being the only sporting code permitted to wear our national colours!

Rugby’s arrogance, contempt for other codes doesn’t end there either.

In 2009 the International Rugby Board tried to stop volunteers from wearing a silver fern at the Rugby World Cup, as they believe the emblem belongs only to the All Blacks.