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Super Rugby Aotearoa sides unveil new away jerseys following kit clash chaos last season
The chances of any kit clashes in this year’s edition of Super Rugby, as was the case last year, have been eliminated following the unveiling of a new set of away jerseys for the New Zealand franchises on Wednesday.
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The Blues, Chiefs, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders have all released new away jerseys for the upcoming campaign following a 2020 season that saw multiple kit clashes.
When the Highlanders played the Bulls in Pretoria in the final game of the pre-COVID-19 version of Super Rugby, the hosts had to change into their white-and-yellow away kit at halftime as the visitors’ away jersey looked too similar to their home strip.
The Hurricanes faced a similar predicament when they played the Stormers in Cape Town last February, with many finding it difficult to distinguish the two teams apart as the away side wore their grey/blue strip.
The kit clash concerns continued in Super Rugby Aotearoa when the Blues and Highlanders squared off at Eden Park in Auckland.
As the Highlanders’ home jersey was blue and their away kit was blue/green, the Blues were forced to wear their white away jersey while playing in front of their home crowd.
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The jersey debacle has seemingly come to an end, though, as the new away jerseys released for the 2021 season are predominantly white.
Four of the teams – the Blues, Hurricanes, Crusaders and Highlanders – will have different coloured sleeve and collar trims on their white jerseys, while the Chiefs will don a grey away jersey.
The Blues away jersey looks very similar to its 2020 predecessor as it maintains its predominantly white look with blue patterns, although it appears the shade of blue on the collar, sleeves and stripes on each shoulder is slightly darker than that of last year’s jersey.
According to kit supplier Adidas, the Blues jersey is “inspired by Tamaki Makaurau [Auckland]”, which is reflected in its incorporation of “a fluid look” that “draws inspiration from the reflection of the Harbour Bridge”.
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Using the same template for the Crusaders away jersey, except with a red trim on the collar and sleeves and three black stripes on each shoulder, Adidas said “the jagged edge pattern” is inspired from the Southern Alps.
“From these mountains, flow ancient glaciers, which inspire the jerseys pattern, to reflect both their legacy and unstoppable momentum,” Adidas said on its website.
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Similarly, the Highlanders’ white away jersey is accompanied with a dark green trim and black shoulder stripes, with Adidas designers looking “to the earth surrounding them to inform its aesthetic, using earth as an organic element”.
The kit manufacturer said the “abstract pattern” evident on the jersey represents the rural and city life within the Highlanders region, while also incorporating tartan to symbolise Dunedin’s Scottish heritage.
Adidas said it had updated the Hurricanes’ away jersey from last year, which was “created by mapping out some of the 390 wind turbines in the Wellington area”.
The 2021 jersey’s “sweeping fade affect pattern on a steely grey base” is “combined with the look of wind hitting an object” to create “a unique graphic”, all of which is complemented with a yellow trim and black stripes on each shoulder.
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The Chiefs, meanwhile, took their grey-coloured inspiration from “Kohatu [stone] connecting it with the flowing pattern of Wairerenga [running waters] washing and rippling over the top”.
Made in conjunction with members of the Maori community, the Chiefs away jersey features a grey trim and white shoulder stripes.
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Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments