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Kiwi Super Rugby teams 'grey' away jerseys labelled worst ever by fans

Sevu Reece. (Photo by Michael Bradley/Getty Images)

Super Rugby’s early January start hasn’t got off to a great start with low crowd numbers seen across the competition and bizarre colour schemes for New Zealand’s teams.

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Ironically, many fans believe the Kiwi teams’ ‘recycled’ jerseys need to be put in the bin.

The reception of the away jerseys has not been great, which have not only diverged away from the franchise’s traditional colours but even clashed with the opposition.

Last week’s opening clash for the Hurricanes saw the team don blueish/grey kit which was a direct clash with the Stormers own home blue kit when they played at Newlands, becoming an eyesore for the audience trying to differentiate the two.

https://twitter.com/shaunnzht/status/1223701143701749762

The Crusaders, a franchise built on a red and black identity, donned kit eerily similar to the Hurricanes against the Chiefs when their traditional red kit would have been perfect against the Chiefs’ home black kit.

https://twitter.com/KendallForbes/status/1226282926427389952

https://twitter.com/elliottnz/status/1226046326443372544

https://twitter.com/danskco/status/1226082293200117760

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The alternate jerseys are part of a marketing push for a ‘recycled’ jersey using plastics from the ocean. The only problem is the colour schemes have no connection to the franchises resulting in bland looks for the teams.

The jerseys remind fans of the ‘grey’ away look from many of the Kiwi sides donned through the late 2000s that were already resoundingly rejected.

https://twitter.com/KendallForbes/status/1226282926427389952

https://twitter.com/westiestylz/status/1226127881668923392

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The need for an alternate colour scheme or ‘away’ jersey doesn’t exist in the New Zealand conference when all five Kiwi franchises have different colours to begin with.

If an alternate jersey is required, teams should look to adopt a ‘classic’ look with a throwback design from the early stages of the Super Rugby competition. The Chiefs’ 1996 heritage jersey last year was simple but effective for an impressive look.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B53tc21gQrm/

Sevu Reece extends his contract with NZR & Crusaders:

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Flankly 2 hours ago
'Absolute madness': Clive Woodward rips into Borthwick in wake of NZ loss

Borthwick is supposed to be the archetypical conservative coach, the guy that might not deliver a sparkling, high-risk attacking style, but whose teams execute the basics flawlessly. And that's OK, because it can be really hard to beat teams that are rock solid and consistent in the rugby equivalent of "blocking and tackling".


But this is why the performance against NZ is hard to defend. You can forgive a conservative, back-to-basics team for failing to score tons of tries, because teams like that make up for it with reliability in the simple things. They can defend well, apply territorial pressure, win the set piece battles, and take their scoring chances with metronomic goal kicking, maul tries and pick-and-go goal line attacks.


The reason why the English rugby administrators should be on high alert is not that the English team looked unable to score tries, but that they were repeatedly unable to close out a game by executing basic, coachable skills. Regardless of how they got to the point of being in control of their destiny, they did get to that point. All that was needed was to be world class at things that require more training than talent. But that training was apparently missing, and the finger has to point at the coach.


Borthwick has been in the job for nearly two years, a period that includes two 6N programs and an RWC campaign. So where are the solid foundations that he has been building?

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