I am big fan of Super Rugby, but if there is one thing about it which annoys me – apart from the home town refs, long travel times and unfortunate time-difference problems – it’s the ludicrous dominance of blue in the teams’ jerseys.
Spiro Zavos has touched on this in his complaints about clashing jerseys, but while Spiro laments the poor administration of the tournament that sees teams fail to wear away jerseys when there is a clear conflict with colours, I lament that such a consideration should be so often necessary in the first place.
Have you ever looked at just how many of the teams in the competition feature blue prominently in their jerseys? The Waratahs, Bulls, Blues, Force, Rebels, Highlanders and Stormers all wear predominately blue (different shades, but blue all the same). Add the Brumbies in (who were wearing an almost full navy kit not long ago), and over half the teams in the competition have blue featuring prominently in their home jerseys.
Super Rugby is made of provinces with traditional colours, so in some sense it’s understandable, but not with our now acquisitions. Both the Force and Rebels could have chosen other colours, but instead decided they’d do their utmost to make the colour scheme even more confusing than it already was.
The Force should be yellow and black, but decided against using their state colours because they didn’t want to clash with the Hurricanes. What? You don’t use your state colours because you worry about them clashing with one team, and instead pick a colour used by half the teams in the competition?
For the Rebels, I understand navy is Victoria’s state colours, but the Rebels aren’t Victoria; they’re Melbourne. Why couldn’t they play in purple or even dark green? Again, pretty well any other colour than navy blue would have been a better idea.
Some people may argue that Super Rugby has bigger problems and this is purely cosmetic, but the colour issue is symptomatic of the deeper issues. The competition’s administrators can’t even seem to manage the uniforms of the participating teams, so it’s little wonder they bungle referees, scheduling and game times.
Perhaps SANZAR could get the Rebels and Force to follow the path of the Highlanders by introducing a new away jersey that isn’t just white (the automatic away selection for pretty well every blue team), but a unique colour that unclutters the tide of blue that dominates the competition.
Get the force to wear a different shade of yellow to the ‘Canes and put the Rebels in dark green or purple. The Brumbies are still mostly white, so we can leave them alone.
The Aussie conference should really have more than two colour schemes now that there are five teams.
Dettolfan
Guest
What are you talking about mate? All I did was correct the fella that claims Auckland don't wear blue and white hoops anymore. Yes the Blues represent Auckland, North Harbour and Northland. I didn't say otherwise.
leftfield
Roar Pro
Maybe because it's easy to tell which team is which in cricket, one team has big lumps of wood and the other doesn't
Pete
Guest
I think you need to write an article like this for cricket. The last time I watched a test match both sides were wearing white. Sort it out
44bottles
Guest
I can see what you mean now. I thought they were distinguishable enough but I see how they are similar. http://www.sanzarrugby.com/sanzar/cache/file/00096F4C-94A5-214B-5F768056AA002AC8.jpg
Matt
Guest
We (the Force) got our colours from the generic American colour and logo stock. We have the same name and colours as the Georgia arena football team and the Cleveland indoor soccer team.
leftfield
Roar Pro
Contrary to popular rumour the Blues usually have the best or second best crowds of the NZ teams. They just play in a stadium twice the size of anyone else so it looks like no-one's there.
Katipo
Guest
Well the amount of debate on this topic proves tow things. 1) Fans care about the identity of the teams they support 2) Sanzar administrators are wrong to dismiss these simple issues as unimportant. By doing so they are saying fans opinions aren't important. Sanzar fix this.
Katipo
Guest
@Dettolfan. Who do the Blues represent? I haven't found many people from Christchurch supporting the Blues - even if their favourite colour is blue. I reckon they represent Auckland and surrounding regions. If thats not true tell me who or what they do represent? And how do you explain the logic of the Blues wearing white against teams like Force who wear blue? There is no logic to it. It's just dumb. Admit it.
Katipo
Guest
@Tane. So who do the Crusaders represent? Catholics? Surely they represent the South Island more than the Vatican? Hard to tell with their current handle though.
Katipo
Guest
@44 Bottles. Im not making this stuff up. Both teams wore black and red. Even Kiwi journalist Chris Rattue commented on it in the NZ Herald... "They (the Crusaders) weren't distinguishable enough from the Lions either. The Crusaders wore dark jerseys atop red shorts, and the home side vice versa. The result was something of a dogs breakfast. Picky you say? But how hard is it to get teams playing in truly contrasting kit?" http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11233207
Tane Mahuta
Guest
How about teams just wear away kits unless they clash?
Tane Mahuta
Guest
Yeah Man Us fans from all over the world care about the city they are based in (sarcasm).
Tane Mahuta
Guest
The reason they arnt called the Cantabury Crusaders is because they arnt representing Cantabury. It amount to calling the All Blacks the North Island All Blacks.
Dettolfan
Guest
The actual Auckland rugby team (NPC) wear the same blue and white hoops they've worn since the 1800s. They're a different entity to the Blues franchise which was created in 1996. Your comment shows how little you know about rugby in NZ.
Dettolfan
Guest
Auckland still wear blue and white hoops...
44bottles
Guest
Did you actually watch the Crusaders Lions game? Crusaders had a dark grey/black shirt and lions had red/white. How were they in any way similar?
Harry Jones
Guest
Great article We need more uniform critiques I really don't like the Saders' shorts I think the Cheetahs' strip looks cheap The Reds look soccerish I like the Rebels look And the Tahs
Peter
Guest
This is what Force supporters have been saying all along. We need the gold and black for the home jersey. Perth spirit does not count as it's not a state team but a city team. Can't we form a petition like the one they are doing for the NRC Canberra team colours
Bakkies
Guest
The Brumbies where blue, white and yellow as they are the ACT colours. Not sure why there was so much white on what is now called the traditional jersey. It was more of a joke a few years back when the away jersey was an all blue job as nice as it looked it wasn't practical. As for the Highlanders' green number doesn't it represent a constituent union that isn't represented on the home jersey? If so I don't see the issue with it. The Stormers have changed their uniform colours three times which is nuts. The all black jersey showed a bit of initiative as they picked a uniform that made the team stand as a separate entity. Who cares what the Sharks think as it was their best kit to date. The Force should have gone with a predominately black jersey with gold integrated on it if the Canes were the issue.
Bakkies
Guest
They are now as the VRU is a key stake holder with Mitchell gone.