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107 - Ranked: 2023 Rugby World Cup Jerseys

Quick technical guide to RWC Jerseys

Author

Bryan Roberts
September 14, 2023

Welcome sports innovators to the future of sport.

To continue our Rugby World Cup themed newsletters this week, let’s look at the Rugby World Cup Jerseys that each brand has produced.

If you didn’t know, what normally happens is the brand creates a (group of) innovation(s) that are put into every shirt they sponsor. Rarely does a brand create a new innovation per country.

The spread of brands across RWC 2023 looks like this:

  • Macron - 7 shirts - Italy, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Scotland, Georgia & Wales (and the Referees)

  • Nike - 3 shirts - Argentina, Fiji & South Africa

  • Canterbury - 2 shirts - Ireland & Japan

  • Umbro - 2 shirts - Chile & England

  • Asics - 1 shirt - Australia

  • Adidas - 1 shirt - New Zealand

  • Le Coq Sportif - 1 shirt - France

  • BLK - 1 shirt - Namibia

  • Flash - 1 shirt - Uruguay

  • FXV - 1 shirt - Tonga

But let’s start with the most important - the often forgotten athlete - the refs.

(credit: macron.com)

(credit: scottishrugby.org)

1: MACRON

  • Macron - 8 shirts - Italy, Portugal, Romania, Samoa, Scotland, Georgia & Wales (and the Referees)

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 3 / 10

    • New recycled fabric, but similar options available across industry

Macron Eco Fabrics are made with a thread which is 100% PET recycled polyester and is certified by Global Recycle Standard.

PET is a material made of oil or natural gas and can be 100% recycled, thus returning in the market in the form of new eco-sustainable products. In particular, the PET gathered after its first use is reduced in 2 mm chips and subsequently treated in order to obtain a thread that guarantees the same performance of a virgin thread.

The thread does not lose its original characteristics during its treatment and for this reason may be repeatedly recycled. Last but not least, compared to virgin polyester, the PET recycled polyester has the advantage of requiring less energy during the production chain. For each produced shirt, 13 0.5 l bottles are recycled.

Both shirts are BodyFit and made from Eco Armevo fabric with Eco Boditex inserts, materials that are not only light and breathable but extremely strong.

(credit: adidas)

2: ADIDAS

  • Adidas - 1 shirt - New Zealand

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 2 / 10

    • Lack of technical innovation aside from side-panels

Includes ergonomic side panels in the abdominal area for a tight, three-dimensional fit.

Assisting with designing the adidas New Zealand Rugby 2023 Rugby World Cup Kit is Fey The Wolf – an emerging Parisian-based street-style designer, who is known for his distinctive and creative use of the color black. Working closely with current All Blacks players, Fey The Wolf and the adidas design team created a kit that is centred around the significance of the New Zealand silver fern – which holds deep, cultural meaning to all New Zealanders and the Māori community as a symbol of strength, resilience, and enduring power.

Celebrating this element of All Blacks culture alongside that of the 2023 Rugby World Cup home nation, the shirt interweaves the rounded edges found on fronds’ in France into the silver fern design found on the new jerseys. Printed across the replica and on-pitch jerseys, the fern’s outline is made via a bold single continuous stroke in a nod to the understanding that players never own the jersey – instead protecting it and passing it along to the next generation; creating one continuous line of guardianship.

At the heart of the on-pitch jersey is an emblem made up of 14 differently sized ferns - to signify the diversity and differing experience of the current squad. Completing the emblem, the crest of the team acts as the 15th fern, with each facing inwards to create the “USO” mark; a Samoan term meaning brother, in honour of the bond between the All Blacks.

(credit: lecoqsportif.com)

3: LE COQ SPORTIF

  • Le Coq Sportif - 1 shirt - France

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 1 / 10

    • 100% polyester with standard silhoulette

This jersey combines a close fit with a high performance 100% polyester fabric, ensuring support, comfort and lightness.

It is also the embodiment of the responsible industry desired by Le Coq Sportif and the FFR. With its European-sourced materials and made-in-France clothing, the men's French national team is proud to carry the nation in its heart and on its shoulders.

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4: UMBRO

  • Umbro - 2 shirts - Chile & England

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 2 / 10

    • Anatomic knit panelling? Panelling like this has been around for years

Both home and alternate kits feature contoured anatomical knit panelling and a structure that moves with the body, giving players a feeling of power and confidence in their performance.

The crisp white of the home shirt emphasises muscular biomechanics, while the rich navy alternate shirt provides a regal aesthetic.

(credit: americasrugbynews.com)

5: FLASH

  • Flash - 1 shirt - Uruguay

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 2 / 10

    • Collar is actually a good design, but lack of thought or innovation

It’s very difficult to find any technical information on this shirt. Even Flash very own website don’t provide a press release about this shirt.

We can only assume it’s a basic polyester sublimated jersey.

(credit: blksport.co.za)

6: BLK

  • BLK - 1 shirt - Namibia

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 1 / 10

    • Can’t see anything new here

It’s very difficult to find any technical information on this shirt. Even BLK very own website don’t provide a press release about this shirt.

We can only assume it’s a basic polyester sublimated jersey.

(credit: springboks.rugby)

(credit: springboks.rugby)

7: NIKE

  • Nike - 3 shirts - Argentina, Fiji & South Africa

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 4 / 10

    • Ventilation is unique but hardly ground-breaking

Ventilation mesh panels in key areas of the kit also improve performance by increasing air circulation to the players’ bodies and regulating their temperatures.

8: CANTERBURY

  • Canterbury - 2 shirts - Ireland & Japan

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 7 / 10

    • Lots of innovation, hidden by bad design

Boasting VaopDri+ adaptive and quick-drying technology, a bonded, elastic and flatlocked collar for strength, laser-cut holes for breathability, silicone logos and curved form for comfort and made from 100% recycled polyester, the jersey is the most technologically advanced ever produced by Canterbury.

The jersey is launched alongside Canterbury’s ‘We Go Together’ campaign, which calls on Irish fans around the world to unite in support of the Ireland team during the tournament.

There is actually a lot packed into this rugby shirt, but the aesthetics team have gone and made it look like a football shirt! Why? or why?

  • Technical team - top notch work

  • Styling team - terrible! missed the market by a long shot

(credit: Asics)

9: ASICS

  • Asics - 1 shirt - Australia

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 9 / 10

    • That collar is outstanding, with what looks like better ventilation than Nike, and those UMBRO anatomic panels

For the first time, the 2022 edition of the First Nations jersey, designed by Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay man Dennis Golding, will also be predominantly gold.

Golding’s artwork paying tribute to the 14 Indigenous Wallabies, with the designs pictured alongside the natural ochre tones of the jersey.

The new ASICS Wallabies jerseys feature a technical mesh jersey knit fabric with moisture wicking and four-way stretch, designed to give players enhanced freedom of movement.

The jerseys sport a new self binding fabric on the seam panels adding extra strength, whilst also featuring an updated modern neckline.

10: FXV

  • FXV - 1 shirt - Tonga

  • KIT RADAR INNOVATION SCORE: 4 / 10

    • There is some interesting work around the collar here which we are unable to investigate with a lack of press around this shirt

The ‘Ikale Tahi return to their traditional red and white colours with the jersey featuring the ‘kupesi tokelaufeletoa’ within the fabric. The jersey also pays tribute to Tonga’s ‘angafakatonga’ (the Tongan way), with ngatu motif designs and its art of tapa-making illustrated.

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