Why the Springboks are not wearing the Green and Gold jersey against Ireland
The Springboks won’t be wearing their traditional Green and Gold jersey for the Test series against Ireland this July, here’s why.
The back-to-back Rugby World Cup champions will don the same white and ‘jaded’ blue kit used during the Rugby World Cup pool stage match against Ireland last year in both the Tests in Pretoria and Durban.
Traditional kit clash in rugby
Traditionally, in rugby, it is the home team dons their alternate kit for home games in the case of a kit clash, which has been the case when the Springboks and Ireland have met previously.
In fact, one of the few exceptions was the 2010 match between the two sides at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, where the Boks agreed to switch to white as it was the home side’s first Test match at the newly rebuilt stadium.
Historically, in football, it’s the away team that changes their jersey to avoid a kit clash. Rugby, on the other hand, has traditionally seen the home team wear their alternate kit for home games.
The reasoning for this is partly a nod to ‘rugby values’, with the home team expected to make a concession for their guests.
However, this has changed in the Six Nations recently.
Ahead of the 2024 Six Nations, the protocol, which has existed for over 75 years, was reversed in wider plans to modernise the tournament.
This resulted in France wearing a white jersey for their clash against Scotland at Murrayfield, while the Scots donned white in Rome against Italy.
Six Nations ditch decades-old rugby jersey tradition to ‘attract’ new fans
However, the change has not been adopted for the highly-anticipated Tests between South Africa and Ireland at Loftus Versfeld and Kings Park Stadium this July – SA Rugby confirmed to Planet Rugby.
South Africa’s alternate ‘jaded blued’ jersey for the Rugby World Cup was highly criticised by fans and sparked memes likening it to retail outlet Checkers.
However, it will be the third kit that the Springboks wear in the two Test matches against Ireland – the same one that they wore during the World Cup pool stage match.