England Men’s Rugby players Maro Itoje, Jack Nowell and George Kruis, alongside England Women’s Rochelle Clark, Lydia Thompson and Vicky Fleetwood, today unveiled the new England Rugby 2016/2017 alternate kit from Canterbury.
The kit sees a reintroduction of navy blue, a popular colour used in England kits over the last 25 years, alongside red and white. The front of the shirt sees a unique graphic of the St George’s cross feature printed into the fabric. The spots on the jersey were inspired by the tradition of wearing bow ties during games throughout the 1900s.
The men’s team will wear the alternate strip in their Old Mutual Wealth Series match against Fiji on 19 November. The women will also sport their custom fit design in the new season.
The 3D rose acknowledges the tradition from 1871 to 1919 when England players would embroider an individual rose onto their shirt, while the deconstructed collar takes inspiration from the very first England Rugby jersey worn in 1871.
The alternate kit features the full range of innovations present in the home shirt, developed by Canterbury, to improve the look and feel for both players and fans. The shirt also features VapoDri+, which allows for the best performance in all weather conditions.
Speaking about the alternate kit, England Captain Dylan Hartley said: “I push myself and I push the team, we strive for improvement, and that’s represented in the kit we wear. It’s a huge honour to put on the England shirt. To have the rose and St Georges Cross on while we play highlights the commitment to our country, to our history and to rugby.”
Discussing the launch of the new England Rugby Women’s alternate kit, Rochelle Clark, capped 113 times for England said: “I’m proud to wear the shirt. I’m honoured to represent my country. I can walk onto the pitch and know I’m going make history. It’s all about the rose.”
To mark the launch Maro Itoje, George Kruis and Jack Nowell have provided a personal insight into their own rugby stories, revealing the commitments they’ve made for the game and the challenges they have faced to become an England player. Fans can watch their inspirational stories in Canterbury’s ‘Only the Committed’ campaign film online and within selected retailers nationwide.
The new England Rugby alternate kit from Canterbury is now available to pre-order on-line from Canterbury and the England Rugby store and will be in stores from the 9th September.
Report courtesy of England Rugby
