Fans lament the 'fitting' way that Super Rugby Aotearoa is signing off for 2020
Super Rugby Aotearoa has been an excellent competition – there’s no doubt about it. While any rugby would have been looked upon favourably after the extended period without sport earlier in the year, the solely New Zealand competition has been incredibly well-received for a multitude of reasons.
One aspect that has frustrated fans, however, is the needless use of alternative strips – especially given the fact that only two sides in the competition share the same primary colour on their uniform.
When the Blues hosted the Highlanders in the early rounds of Super Rugby Aotearoa, the Blues donned their secondary strips – which were effectively just a lighter shade of blue. This created an unfortunate jersey clash, which made the match unnecessarily difficult to follow.
It brought back memories of the clash between the Highlanders and the Blues from earlier in the season when the Bulls were forced to change kits at half-time due to the similarities of the uniforms.
Now, in the final match of Super Rugby Aotearoa, played in front of an empty stadium due to coronavirus restrictions, the Highlanders have once again been involved in a ridiculous jersey situation.
The travelling Hurricanes, instead of wearing their traditional yellow and black jerseys, marched out onto the field wearing their grey-blue alternate strips – and fans were instantly incensed.
FFS why aren't @Hurricanesrugby in yellow? #HIGvHUR @TheCountry @rowie_nz @blairdrysdale77 @deanrabbidge @skysportnz
— Andrew Thompson (@Pandasport) August 15, 2020
First the game has no crowd and now there’s the most stupidest kit clash ????? #HIGvHUR
— ryanator109?? (@ryanator109) August 15, 2020
It was bad enough that the Hurricanes were wearing an ‘away’ strip when there was no clash in the first place – but the change actually created a clash, with the dark blue of the Highlanders fairly similar to the grey Hurricanes jerseys.
They've actually made a jersey clash when there wasn't one. #HIGvHUR
— Mark Currie (@MarkCurrieNZ) August 15, 2020
Slightly torturous watching Highlanders in dark blue and Hurricanes in grey #HURvHIGH
— Matt Hall-Smith (@MattHallSmith21) August 15, 2020
Can someone explain why the @Hurricanesrugby are playing in blue as well as the Highlanders? Nightmare for TV viewing which is what everyone has to do. #HIGvHUR
— Ben Carswell (@bcarswell) August 15, 2020
Why are the Canes not wearing yellow? Talk about a colour clash? #HIGvHUR
— ¯_(?)_/¯ (@Vinsanity275) August 15, 2020
Stupid choice of team colours @SuperRugbyNZ . Very hard to clearly distinguish each team on @skysportnz #HIGvHUR
— Gungehammer (@Gungehammer) August 15, 2020
I understand the marketing side of it but damn blue vs yellow is a much nicer contrast than blue vs grey ? #HIGvHUR
— Jacob Beleski (@JBeleski) August 15, 2020
Who approved this ridiculous jersey clash!? Can we please give Adidas the ? and play in home jerseys all the time next season? #HIGvHUR #SuperRugbyAotearoa
— Alister L (@al_nz) August 15, 2020
The piped-in crowd noise is weird and echo-y but definitely better than eerie silence. Wish the Canes were wearing their normal colour jerseys coz the lilac is harder to tell from the Highlanders' blue on wide shots. #HIGvHUR
— Asher Wilson-Goldman (@AsherGoldman) August 15, 2020
Sunlight is streaming into our lounge, and we can’t tell the difference between the Highlanders in navy and the Hurricanes is grey. The requirement to wear an away strip when there’s no clash of colours is just bizarre. #SuperRugbyAotearoa #HIGvHUR
— Tony Stuart (@TonyStuart55) August 15, 2020
@NZRugby @Hurricanesrugby @skysportnz Can we get them to change shirts? Rubbish for EVERY fan having to watch on TV #HIGvHUR #kitclash
— Ben Carswell (@bcarswell) August 15, 2020
The only disappointing aspect of #SuperRugbyAotearoa would have to be the away jerseys and more importantly the clashes for some games. Who signed off @Hurricanesrugby not wearing their normal yellow strip for this game? #HIGvHUR
— Paul M ???? (@88TheDon) August 15, 2020
Some fans were also quick to jump on the irony of the match officials wearing yellow, the Hurricanes’ normal colours.
Hurricanes had to wear alternative strip so they didnt clash with the ref?? #HIGvHUR
— Glen (@82beyou) August 15, 2020
Jersey colours are far too similar in #HIGvHUR game. The match officials are wearing yellow, guess I'll cheer for them!#SuperRugbyAotearoa
— Wendy Ross (@Zacross) August 15, 2020
Surprised the ref isn’t wearing a shade of blue to match the teams #SuperRugbyAotearoa #HIGvHUR
— Gavin Huet (@GavinHuet) August 15, 2020
While there’s no argument that Super Rugby Aotearoa has been a raging success, despite the interruptions in the final round due to the global pandemic, fans will be eternally hopeful that the jersey situation is cleared up for the future. As rugby historian Jamie Wall noted, however, the colour clash was a laughably suitable way for the competition to sign off for the year.
Fitting to finish Super Rugby 2020 with a jersey clash.
— Jamie Wall (@JamieWall2) August 15, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
No SA supporter miss Super Rugby - a product that is experiencing significant head wind in ANZ - the competition from rival codes are intense, match attendance figures are at a historical low and the negativity of commentators such as Kirwan and Wilson have accelerated the downward spiral in NZ. After the next RWC in 2027 sponsors will follow Qantas and start leaving in droves.
2 Go to commentsLike others, I am not seeing the connection between this edition of the Crusaders and the All Blacks future prospects under Razor. I think the analysis of the Crusaders attack recently is helpful because Razor and his coaching team used to be able to slot new guys in to their systems and see them succeed. Several of Razor’s coaches are still there so it would be surprising if the current attack and set piece has been overhauled to a great extent - but based on that analysis, it may have been. Whether it is too many new guys due to injuries or retirement or a failure of current Crusaders systems is the main question to be answered imo. It doesn’t seem relevant for the ABs.
3 Go to commentsharry potter is set in stone. he creates stability and finishes well. exactly what schmidt likes. he’s the ben smith of australian rugby. i think it could quite easily be potter toole and kellaway for the foreseeable future.
5 Go to commentsThis is short sighted from Clayton if you ask me, smacks of too much preseason planning and no adaptability. What if DMac is out for a must win match, are they still only going to bring their best first five and playmaker on late in the game? Trusting the game to someone who wasn’t even part of planning (they would have had Trask pinned in as Jacomb preseason). Perhaps if the Crusaders were better they would not have done this, but either way imo you take this opportunity to play a guy you might need starting in a final rather than having their 12th game getting comfortable coming off the bench.
1 Go to commentsThanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.
21 Go to commentsWhat a load of bollocks. The author has forgotten to mention the fact that the Crusaders have a huge injury toll with top world class players out. Not to mention the fact that they are obviously in a transition period. No this will not spark a slow death for NZ rugby, but it does mean there will be a new Super Rugby champion. Anyone who knows anything about NZ rugby knows that there is some serious talent here, it just isn’t all at the Crusaders.
3 Go to commentsI wouldn’t spend the time on Nawaqanitawase! No point in having him filling in a jersey when he’s committed to leave Union. Give the jersey to a young prospect who will be here in the future.
5 Go to commentsIt was a pleasure to watch those guys playing with such confidence. That trio can all be infuriating for different reasons and I can see why Jones might have decided against them. No way to justify leaving Ikitau out though. Jorgensen and him were both scheduled to return at the same time. Only one of them plays for Randwick and has a dad who is great mates with the national coach though.
53 Go to commentsBrayden Iose and Peter Lakai are very exciting Super Rugby players but are too short and too light to ever be a Test 8 vs South Africa, France, Ireland, and England, Lakai could potentially be a Test player at 7 if he is allowed to focus on 7 for Hurricanes.
7 Go to commentsPencils “Thomas du Toit” into possible 2027 Bok squad.
1 Go to commentsDon’t see why Harrison makes the bench. Jones can play at 10 if needed, and there is a good case for starting her there to begin with if testing combinations. That would leave room for Sing on the bench
1 Go to commentsWhat a load of old bull!
1 Go to commentsOf the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.
29 Go to commentsIrish Rugby CEO be texting Andy Farrell “Andy, i found our next Kiwi Irishman”
5 Go to commentsI certainly don’t miss drinking beers at 8am in the morning watching rugby games being played in NZ.
2 Go to commentsThis looks like a damage limitation exercise for Wales, keeping back some of their more effective players for the last 20/25 minutes to try and counter England’s fresh legs so the Red Roses don’t rack up a big score.
1 Go to commentsVery unlikely the Bulls will beat Leinster in Dublin. It would be different in Pretoria.
1 Go to commentsI think it is a dangerous path to go down to ban a player for the same period that a player they injured takes to recover. Players would be afraid to tackle anyone. I once tackled my best friend at school in a practice match and sprained his ankle. I paid for it by having to play fly-half instead of full-back for the rest of that season’s fixtures.
5 Go to commentsJust such a genuine good bloke…and probably the best all round player in his generation. Good guys do come first sometimes and he handled the W.Cup loss with great attitude.
2 Go to commentsWord in France is that he’s on the radar of a few Top14 clubs.
5 Go to comments