Each team's greatest playing jerseys in World Cup history
The advent of a World Cup every four years not only captures the imaginations of rugby fans around the globe, but it also provides the globe’s rugby faithful with a chance to see a special new kit design for every one of the 20 nations involved.
The tournament allows teams to embrace and express their cultures and flaunt it on the biggest stage within the sport through the design of their playing jerseys, which are seen by the millions upon millions of spectators worldwide.
In an event which brings that much exposure, which is more often than not plenty more airtime than what most participating teams are used to, it makes these special World Cup jersey designs vital for unions looking to expand or establish their brands around the globe.
Consequently, fans have been treated to some spectacular jerseys over the years, with the eight previous World Cups giving teams ample chances to express and represent their country’s cultures through what they are wearing on the park.
With this year’s World Cup in Japan nearing kick-off, most teams have already released what they will be wearing in the Far East in two months’ time, with many designs catching the eye.
The same can be said since the debut World Cup tournament in 1987, which got us here at RugbyPass thinking as to which World Cup jersey has been the best for each side competing at this year’s edition of the global showpiece event.
So, here is a presentation of the best jerseys worn over the last 32 years of World Cup rugby by the 20 teams set to compete in Japan later this year.
Argentina
It’s hard to go wrong with the baby blue and white hoops for Los Pumas, but Adidas’ adaptation of the iconic jersey in 2007 was particularly striking as Argentina went on to stun the world by finishing in third place, toppling hosts France twice in the process and gaining recognition as a genuine powerhouse of world rugby.
Australia
This Reebok jersey, with the dark green sleeves and the Southern Cross over the World Cup logo on the chest, is symbolic of Australia’s period of dominance in the late 1990s and early 2000s, a time where they won the 1999 World Cup, and finish runners-up in 2003. That dominance is now a distant memory, and Wallabies fans can only reminisce on that golden era when this jersey instilled fear and intimidation into Australia’s opposition.
Canada
By far Canada’s most colourful World Cup jersey ever. Only the classic 1991 jersey, which they wore in their sole World Cup quarter-final appearance against the All Blacks, could challenge this rainbow-coloured maple leaf-laden jersey, but the flair of the 1995 jumper edges the simplistic yet effective kit from four years earlier.
England
As long as England are wearing white, then there should be no issues, but similarly to Australia, their 2003 jersey is representative of a time when they were on top of the world. The famous Jonny Wilkinson drop goal that sunk the Wallabies in the last minute of extra-time in that year’s final is the greatest moment in English rugby history, and so the Nike-manufactured all-white jersey with a red trim under the arm and down the rib cage that he wore should really be considered the best they’ve ever had.
Fiji
As time has gone on and the design and development of jerseys has evolved, the more appealing jerseys from Pacific nations have become. Fiji, for example, have implemented cultural designs on their white and black jerseys in recent World Cups, and ISC’s version of their 2019 World Cup jersey is a stunning one, with plenty of intricate patterns down the sides, across the shoulders and on the sleeves.
France
France’s jerseys for both this year’s World Cup and the 2015 tournament both had potential to take the cake, but Adidas’ take on their 1987 kit is a classic that is difficult to go past. With red, white and blue stripes lining the long sleeves, an enlarged, old-school French rugby logo on one side of the chest, and the classic Adidas logo on the other side, it makes for an iconic Les Bleus jumper.
Georgia
A drastic change in kit colours came after their debut tournament in 2003 saw them don a hideous purple and black combination, but Georgia have vastly improved their kit designs since then. With a red and white colour scheme to work with now, their 2011 KooGa jerseys are probably the pick of the bunch, due to how simple but sleek it looked.
Ireland
After going through all of Ireland’s World Cup kits since 1987, there was barely much change at all until the 2007 tournament, with green being the primary colour with a hint of white to accompany a big pop-up collar. Although the colour scheme has remained exactly the same, the way of which it has been used has been altered slightly over the past decade or so, and their 2011 Puma jerseys are probably the best example of that.
Italy
There hadn’t been a whole lot to rave about Italy’s World Cup kits until Adidas unleashed a beautiful design for their 2015 campaign. Sticking with their traditional sky blue jumpers, Adidas added slender diagonal stripes with a grey collar, while their navy blue shorts complemented the top half of their kit nicely.
Japan
Like Argentina, it’s difficult to go wrong with Japan’s standard red and white hoops, although Canterbury haven’t done the best of jobs with a bizarre kit for their home tournament this year. The same can’t be said for their 2011 jerseys, with the number of white hoops restricted to just two across the torso. The rest of the jersey was predominantly red, aside from a few white lines encompassing the shoulders and under the hoops, and a white trip under the armpits.
Namibia
After a few horrid kits that were evident throughout the 2003 and 2007 World Cups, Namibia arrived at the 2011 tournament with a far better all-blue design provided by Puma. The change in appearance didn’t help the African minnows though, as they are still on the search for their first-ever win at a World Cup.
New Zealand
Given their name, as long as the All Blacks’ jersey is mainly black, then everything is in order for the Kiwis. However, Adidas went a step further in 2015, creating the ‘blackest jersey ever’ by shading in the normally-white All Blacks and Adidas logos on the chest, giving the New Zealanders a clean, crisp look. The 2019 jersey could have also challenged for this title had the collar made it not look like a t-shirt.
Russia
It’s slim pickings for Russia, who have only appeared at one other World Cup aside from this upcoming one in Japan. Their last outing on the global stage was eight years ago in New Zealand, when they sported an all-red look by Canterbury, with a white trim across the torso, down the sides and around the back of the neck.
Samoa
This is breaking the rules slightly as the jersey pictured above was Samoa’s away jersey for the 2015 tournament. However, it is by far the most eye-catching and wonderfully designed jersey they have ever worn at a World Cup, with the Pasifika designs on the sleeves and at the front of the jersey going a long way to making it one of BLK’s more memorable jumpers.
Scotland
Apart from their 2007 and 2011 home jerseys and 1999 away jersey, Scotland have produced many aesthetic navy blue jerseys, and none have been better to look at than what they wore in 2015. Macron took an old-school approach by bring back the pop-up collar, and the tartan down the sides was a classy edition. The 2003 kit was also a nice take on a classic design.
South Africa
The Springboks have had a difficult time emulating the fabulous jerseys produced for World Cups in the mid to late 1990s, with the kit worn in their debut home tournament in 1995 by far the best that has ever been worn by the South Africans. The old Springboks logo was accompanied by a gold pop-up collar, giving Francois Pienaar an iconic look as he famously received the Webb Ellis Cup from Nelson Mandela at Ellis Park for South Africa’s first-ever title.
Tonga
Like Fiji and Samoa, the evolution of jersey designs has seen the incorporation of cultural patterns become a significant feature on Tonga’s playing kit in the modern era, and that was best done by KooGa at the 2007 tournament. Both sleeves were heavily engulfed with traditional Tongan designs, giving them a distinct look as they pushed England and South Africa to the limit in France.
United States
BLK mixed things up a lot for the USA at the 2015 tournament, as the Eagles had previously played in either white or red kits at World Cups. However, they wore a dark blue strip with thin red and white strips across the torso and along the sleeves, which contrasted well to give them their most compelling jersey to date.
Uruguay
Uruguay have only played in three World Cups, but they sported a nice light blue jumper in their second appearance at the 2003 tournament. A black trim around and underneath the shoulders and on the edge of their sleeves was subtle yet not underwhelming, which added value to their overall look.
Wales
Although it was their worst showing at a World Cup of all-time, Wales’ all-red jersey with minimal white trip from 2007 was a reinvention of their famous jumper. The only white that featured was what appeared around the back of the neck, and although the players and coaches themselves underperformed in France, jersey manufacturer Reebok certainly stepped up to the plate.
In other news:
Comments on RugbyPass
Is Barrett going play full back??? They already have all the centers…
15 Go to commentsForgive my ignorance, I might not fully understand so would appreciate clarification: Didn’t the Bulls have to fly with three different carriers, paid for by the South African Rugby Union, whilst Edinburgh got a chartered flight sponsored by EPCR? Also, as far as I understand it South African teams don’t yet share in the revenue from the competition and are not allowed to host Semi-finals or Finals at home. Surely if everyone wants South Africans to “take the competition seriously” then they must make South Africans feel welcome, allow them to share in the revenue, and give them the same levels of access as the teams from the other countries. Just a reminder that South Africa has a large and passionate Rugby audience. Just by virtue of our teams being a part of these competitions means that more of us are likely to watch the knockout games, even if our teams haven’t qualified. It would be silly to alienate such a large audience by making them feel unwelcome.
17 Go to commentsFirst of all. This guy is very much behind the curve. All the bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning took place days ago already. Not adding anything to the topic other than more bleating, whingeing, whining and moaning. 🍼 Second of all, not one mention of the fact that South African teams can’t get home semi finals or finals. The tournament was undermined and devalued by the administrators. 🤡 Thirdly, football teams often have to juggle selections in mid week games, premier games, champions league games etc. and will from time to time prioritize certain titles over others. 🐒 And lastly FEK Neil, and anyone else for that matter, for insisting on telling teams how to manage themselves. If they make what is largely a business decision that suits them and doesn’t suit you - tough shite. 💩 It’s not rocket science as to why the Bulls did what they did. If this guy is too slow to figure it out (and is deliberately not mentioning one of the key reasons why) then he isn’t a journalist. He should join the rest of us pundit plebs in comments section. 🥴
17 Go to commentsSo the first door to knock on Rob is Parliament followed by HMRC. The Irish Revenue deliver a 40% tax relief rebate on the HIGHEST EARNING TEN YEARS of every pro Irish rugby players contract earnings at retirement. That goes a long way to both retaining their best talent and freeing up wages for marquee players. Who knows, if that had been in place in the UK, you might not have been able to poach Hoggy and Jonny Gray from Glasgow…!!!
2 Go to comments1. True, if that “free” ticket means access to all but the prized exhibit - EVIP only. SA cannot host semis, even if they’ve earned it (see Sharks vs ASM Clermont Auvergne at… Twickenham Stoop). 2. Why no selective outrage over Lyon doing the exact same thing a week earlier? Out of all the countries France send the most “B teams”, why nobody talking about “disrespect” and “prioritising domestic leagues” and “kicking them out”? 3. Why no mention of the Sharks fielding all of their Springboks for the second rate Challenge cup QF? No commitment? 4. Why no mention of all the SA teams qualifying for respective euro knock out comps in the two seasons they’ve been in it? How many euro teams have qualified for KO’s in their history? Can’t compete? 5. Why no mention of SA teams beating French and English giants La Rochelle and Saracens? How many euro teams have done that in their history? Add no quality? The fact is that SA teams are only in their second season in europe, with no status and a fraction of the resources. Since joining the URC, SA has seen a repatriation of a number of players, and this will only grow once SA start sharing in the profits of competing in these comps, meaning bigger squads with greater depth and quality, meaning they don’t have to prioritise comps as they have to now - they don’t have imports from Pacifica and South America and everywhere else in between like “European” teams have - also less “Saffas” in Prem and T14, that’s what we want right? 'If the South Africans are in, they need to be all in' True, and we have to ensure we give them the same status and resources as we give everyone else to do just that. A small compromise on scheduling will go a long way in avoiding these situations, but guess what, France and England wont compromise on scheduling because they ironically… prioritise their domestic comps, go figure!
17 Go to commentsthe success of the premiership can be summarized by : only 10 teams. It makes a huge difference with the overcrowded top 14 (let us not talk about Leinster and URC…)
1 Go to commentsGood for him. The ABs were fooling around again with converted fullbacks that had a penetration of a marshmallow. Laumape or as Aki has shown for Ireland, go forward is important in the centres. If it had been DMac - Aki- Aumua - Ioane- Telea- Jordan in France the final result would have been different.
4 Go to commentsDan Carter a apporté son professionnalisme, des méthodes de travail, un esprit qui manquaient à l’USAP. Son influence, même une fois blessé a été énorme. Et pour citer une anecdote, certains soirs il venait de lui-même à l’entraînement des jeunes pour dispenser ses conseils. On ne peut pas compter ce qu’il a apporté au club en heures de jeu sur le terrain. Est-ce que le club en a eu pour son argent ? Avec la publicité sur son nom et le titre, je suppose que oui.
1 Go to commentsThe SA sides are suffering from a bum rap here. There isn’t a side anywhere in the world that would do things differently in their shoes. They’ve been set up to fail in the EPCR comps by vested interests, with last minute intercontinental travel requirements that costs an arm and a leg to book in advance just on the possibility they might be required. And the total nonsense that denies any chance of home venues is entirely biased and absolutely unsporting. Either EPCR, the Top14 & the Gallagher Premiership get it sorted on a fair and equitable sporting basis for ALL participants or expect the ridicule to continue. Right now, these comps are a joke!
17 Go to commentsSA sides should do the right thing and leave the champions cup, they are lowering the standard with completely one sided games, not up to the right level. The greatest club tournament in the world is being banjaxed by the weak SA sides.
17 Go to commentsCouldnt agree more. SA sides need to show more committment and really have a go at the Champions Cup. Its quite possibly the most prestigious title in Europe and SA sides need to respect that prestige and serve up their best. EPCR needs to do more to ensure that sides from South Africa and sides travelling to and from SA have a better chance in this competition. The Bulls were put in a really difficult position of having to travel there and back in one week. One could argue that this is what the SA sides signed up for and that La Rochelle didnt complain or send out weakened sides despite having to travel to SA and back and play on successive weekends but surely the situation is also unfair on La Rochelle as well and so EPCR needs to think about successive gameweeks and the travel effect of the competition
17 Go to commentsI hadn’t watched much Canes this season but sat through a replay of that Chiefs game with no distractions. That pack is beastly. I really like the look of Iose. He loves the tough stuff. The first Quins clip may be the best I have even seen for a TH driving his opposite into oblivion. i need to take your word for the contribution of Walker, but Collier there with a straight back pushing up from under was a lovely thing to see. Have you fallen in love with Baxter also, Nick? I think Stuart Barnes may have written his column about him recently, naked. He positively frothed.
14 Go to commentsSmart guy. I wish he was running the RFU or something!
2 Go to commentsWhy Barrett, when Leinster already have at least 4 top centres.?
15 Go to commentsGood write up, Brett. Rebels are an interesting one for sure. 88 points scored in the last two games, but against two teams that are unlikely to be in the top 4 at seasons end. However the other side of the coin, against the Hurricanes, the team to beat atm, they conceded 54 points, and add in another 53 points to the then high flying Reds, and things don’t look so good. The acid tests will be against the Blues and the Chiefs. I do hope they do contest the finals this year, if only to confound those working on their demise. Les Kiss has made a big difference to the Qld. Reds, and they could so easily have now been sitting unbeaten at the top of the table. But they have now lost some games in a most disappointing fashion, and now step up against the Highlanders this weekend seriously depleted, four absolute key players down, two to suspension, two injured. Of the other Australian sides, the Brumbies look unlikely to fold to anyone any time soon, while the Waratahs and Force both disappoint. But still and all, winning games against the NZ sides is very welcome, and one would hope for more to come. Who will come out on top ? A North Island side for sure should contest the final, but I would hope an Australian side might just get there this year. Brumbies most likely, Qld. Reds could be formidable with a full team back on the field.
12 Go to commentsThe stat that illustrates some progress compared to recent years is that Aussie sides have won 5 of 12 games against Kiwi sides. The Tahs have lost 2 tight games against Kiwi sides, while the Reds and Tahs have contrasting experiences in games against Kiwi sides decided by that farcical thing called golden point.
12 Go to commentsThe Hurricanes pack has stepped up in a huge way this year. Their improvement at scrum time has been a big contributor to their success. Aumua looks like he is playing with a lot of confidence and put in a really good display at both set piece and in general play on Saturday. Him and Numia are putting in a good case for higher honours, A dominate combination with Lomax will help their case. And their loose forward depth is class. Iose has benefited from regular game time and Lakai has shown his versatility and promise. Thanks Nick. Hope all is well.
14 Go to commentsSamoa have enough former internationals who want to flick a switch for a country most have probably hardly set foot in. If you’re that passionate about Samoa, go live and play rugby there to qualify instead of just waltzing into the side and kicking a player actually from Samoa out of the squad. All these ex internationals hasn’t really made them that much more competitive because most look like they're going through the motions.
2 Go to commentsKini Naholo at 14 brings to memory Waisake.
1 Go to commentsGrace, much like Luke Jacobson, has never looked like the same player since his run of injuries. He also looked much better as a 6 than an 8. He still looks like he doesn't completely understand the position.
2 Go to comments