Adidas, the sports clothing manufacturer, today launched the revolutionary playing shirt that will be worn by the British Isles side that embarks on a tour of Australia in June.

Up until now the appearance of the shirt has been a closely guarded secret, but it was revealed today that the shirt will incorporate the technologies first applied to current the All Blacks playing shirts.

Picture - Martin Johnson in the "revoultionary" kit.

The 'shirt for all seasons' is the product of several years developing work by the Adidas designers and they proudly claim to have taken into account the thoughts of the world's top players and the possible, "playing conditions, ventilation, insulation, climate, terrain, contact, comfort and movement."

"Adidas' revolutionary approach to shirt design eliminates the disadvantages of a traditional-style rugby shirt such as a thick, heavy
fabric that absorbs water easily making the shirt cumbersome and energy
sapping in wet conditions," said Robin Money, Head of Sports marketing at adidas. "This new shirt will enable the players to perform at their best whatever the conditions."

Adidas sponsored Martin Johnson, captain of the '97 Lions and current
England captain said of the shirt, "It will provide genuine benefits to the boys lucky enough to wear it. It's important to wear your shirt with pride, but the 2001 Lions will be wearing this with pride and the knowledge that it can give them an extra edge over the World Champions."

Jonah Lomu, who wore the All Blacks technical shirt in the 1999 Rugby World Cup said, "The technical shirt is a lot lighter and takes rugby into a new age. It's player friendly because it gets rid of perspiration from your body and stays light and comfortable even when you're playing in the rain."

The British Isles side begin their tour against Western Australia on June 8.