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2024 New Zealand Super Rugby jerseys revealed
By Ned Lester
It’s out with the Adidas and in with the Classic Sportswear for New Zealand Super Rugby teams in 2024, and Wednesday provides fans with a first glimpse of their teams’ new look.
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After two decades of partnership and iconic jerseys, Adidas parts ways with Super Rugby having featured in every highlight and historic moment in recent Super Rugby memory.
It was the promise of easily produced themed kits, such as heritage jerseys, that helped seal the deal for Classic Sportswear in their bid to be the Super Rugby kit providers. Other major leagues around the world have profited and piqued fan engagement with similar themes.
Fans will have to wait and see what’s in store for alternative designs, but for now, the home and away kits are here.
Blues
The Blues have placed the Auckland skyline at the base of their 2024 kit, along with a jersey design structured around the four harbours of the region.
The Hokianga and Kaipara in the north, and the Manukau and Waitemata in the city.
“Through the centre of our Jersey, these four tides meet, mirroring the collision between the Tasman Sea and the Pacific Ocean at Cape Reinga, in the far north of Te Tai Tokerau.”
The collar and base also sport the colours of the region’s provincial unions.
The Blues also dropped a teaser for a throwback jersey which will be fully revealed on December 1st, with a nod to the 1997 kit.
97 in the house pic.twitter.com/xghVL6zq6L
— The Blues (@BluesRugbyTeam) November 22, 2023
Chiefs
The Chiefs were the last to the party in announcing their new kits and have revealed some changes, ditching the gradient while keeping the strong Maori design identity.
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“Featuring prominently is the Huia bird whose feathers were tapu for M?ori and worn by great Chiefs into battle. The presence of both male and female Huia signifies the unified approach and the collective mindset of the Chiefs Rugby Club teams.
“The k?whaiwhai (ornate swirls) depicted across the jersey represent the flow of the waterways throughout the region connecting the Chiefs with sponsors, members, players, clubs and supporters.
“The Huia are depicted looking inwards at the taniwha (the protector) and the beating heart of the Chief (the player) who wears the jersey.”
Hurricanes
Strong winds and Wellington are synonymous and the club have found a refreshed way to express that in 2024.
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Within the swirling pattern fans will find Maori and Pasifika designs, encompassing the identity of the region and its people.
“The Hurricanes and Hurricanes Poua see themselves as manifestations of the shifting winds and unstoppable force of a hurricane. Living extensions of T?whirim?tea and Hurutea-?-rangi, mighty atua (gods) of the winds.
“T?whirim?tea’s spirit and energy flow through each and every Hurricane. His power, ingenuity and relentlessness are the foundations of our style of rugby.”
Crusaders
The reigning champions have made the most dramatic changes to their aesthetic, opting for a striped jersey that is angled to represent the peaks of the Canterbury region.
“Weaved into our latest jersey design are six peaks and rivers, honouring our fans and players from across the upper South Island.”
For the Christchurch-based club, the new kit comes at an appropriate time as the famous red and black enters a new era, moving on from Scott Robertson and club legends Richie Mo’unga and Sam Whitelock.
“This year we look at the mountains from a new perspective, acknowledging a new chapter in Crusaders history. We look down the backbone, each mountain lifting us up and taking us to new heights.”
Highlanders
The Southernmost team in Super Rugby Pacific haven’t strayed far from tradition by any means with their kit for 2024, revealing the familiar deep blue as the base of their home kit, with gold and maroon also featured.
The major new addition is the Highlanders logo across the mid-section of each of their jerseys as a grip strip.
“You don’t wear your jersey, you wear your pride” was the theme of the release, as the club looks to their wild landscapes and resilient people as core characteristics to represent.
“Sweeping from the white-tipped mountains of the Southern Alps to the deep blue and green waters of the Pacific Ocean.
“Our colours, our passion, woven together to create a fabric of southern inspiration.”
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The weather was dreadful but the playing surface was great so there is no real excuse for such another poor standard of play from both sides. Dragons just the better team. But, what a shocking decision by the TMO not to award the Fifita try. This pretty much sums up Welsh rugby with poor teams and poor officials. The WRU have a lot of work to do and it needs to be done quickly to avoid rugby being lost to our future generations.
Go to commentsNo chance of Borthwick selecting any young talent. He announced his selection policy from the outset with naming a poor OF as Captain, retaining an equally poor Youngs and Vunipola brothers when there were many better EQP in the Premiership. SB revival of Leicester was based on SA muscle and a terrific Welsh flanker he has generally ignored young English talent.
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