South Africa will be wearing “unstoppable” home and away jerseys, designed and manufactured by ASICS, which features technological advancements to give the men in green and gold an extra edge at the 2019 Rugby World Cup (RWC) in Japan starting on Saturday.
The new Springbok jerseys, which will are now on sale at World Rugby Shop andLovell Rugby, were designed with unique characteristics and features to compliment the playing style and technical requirements of the Boks.
At the same time, ASICS launched an all-new brand film, “What is the difference?”, which offers an inside look into the dedication, sacrifice and focus it requires for a professional rugby player to be selected to represent his country on the biggest stage that rugby has to offer.
“It’s a momentous year as the Springboks aim to win our third World Cup in Japan,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SA Rugby.
“Every little detail counts and that includes all the focus and effort put in by ASICS into making this the most advanced jersey for the Boks to wear in Japan and support them in their quest to reach their goal.”
ASICS and the Springboks tested more than ten versions of the jersey with 30 different fabrics at their laboratories in Japan.
Players were also interviewed about their requirements to give them the necessary advantages on the field, and the message was clear – they don’t want to be restricted by anything and want to feel “unstoppable”.
“I don’t want to be restricted by anything when playing,” said Springbok Test centurion Tendai Mtawarira.
“The jersey is the perfect balance between fast and strong – and it’s challenging to reach that. ASICS have produced a jersey that not only meets but surpasses expectations of what we wear on the pitch.”
Based on this feedback and in-game analysis, ASICS was motivated to create “UNSTOPPABLE” jerseys, devoid of any loose fitting areas or unnecessary tightness.
The Springboks’ 2019 Rugby World Cup home jersey has a more traditional olive green and orange-gold look that draws inspiration from the 1995 Rugby World Cup winning team. South Africa’s new alternate hsirt is white with yellow and dark green details.
Furthermore, as with the RWC tournaments in 2011 and 2015 and in line with World Rugby’s commercial requirements for playing apparel, the Springbok emblem will again move to the left sleeve of the jersey, with the South African national emblem, the King Protea, the jersey manufacturer’s mark (ASICS) and the RWC emblem on the front.