The five New Zealand Super Rugby teams have unveiled their playing jerseys for next year’s inaugural Super Rugby Pacific competition.
The Highlanders training jersey (L), home jersey (C) and away jersey (R) for 2022/23.
Photo: Highlanders
The Blues have produced a jersey they say is a mix of their heritage and today.
The feature that runs through the centre of the home jersey represents the meeting point of the four tides – as it does at Cape Reinga in the Far North of Te Tai Tokerau (Northland).
This is where the high and low tides of Te Moana nui a Kiwa (Pacific Ocean) and Te Tai o Rēhua (Tasman Sea) converge.
The Blues region (Rohe) is home to Hokianga, where the great navigator Kupe first made landfall and his wife Kuramārōtini gave the land its name of Aotearoa (Land of the Long White Cloud).
The boys check out their new @adidas jersey’s for the very first time! #WeAreTheBlues #BluesAllDay pic.twitter.com/iLO4vVvF5V
— The Blues (@BluesRugbyTeam) December 5, 2021
The 2022 home jersey pays homage to the great migrations that are an integral part of New Zealand’s history, made possible by the waters that surround the region.
From the arrival of the first Waka to the most recent migrant – all are welcome, all are whānau and are represented proudly on the jersey.
The Blues 2022 away jersey is born from their championship history and redefined with a new aesthetic detailing and inspired by the iconic Blues jerseys worn by the legendary teams and players from the turn of the new Millennium.
The diamonds across the shoulders are reference to the club’s celebrated championship teams that have come before. The 2022 away jersey recodes the Blues’ history
The Highlanders design theme for 2022 was “Heritage Remixed”.
It is hoped the home, away and training jerseys will envoke a strong sense of nostalgia with the colour palette and pattern, as will the unique location chosen to launch these jerseys, Cargill’s Castle.
One of only two castles in New Zealand the structure stands proud on the cliffs above St Clair, resilent in the face of the unrelenting southerlies.
All three jerseys carry a modernised tartan pattern over the left shoulder, tonal on both playing strips, to represent the many members of our organisation and wider community weaving together. This is a modern tartan design (almost digital in appearance) to acknowledge the modern face of our team and community and the changing environments in which we operate today.
The dark blue home jersey has a sleek, tonal, embossed tartan representing our people south of the Waitaki; strong and understated. The away strip is representative of our wider region with the North Otago and Southland colours predominately used. Again the tonal modernised tartan design comes down over the left shoulder representing our tight knit region.
The training jersey differs in that a contrasting tartan pattern is used. This design represents the environment on the training field; where players battle for the same position, constantly challenging and competing but ultimately weaving and working together towards a common purpose.
The Chiefs new jersey designs are linked to the Chiefs region, whānau and Māori heritage.
The home jersey – ‘Ngā hihi o te rā – The Rays of the Sun’, draws on inspiration from Tamanuiterā (The Sun). It uses ngā hihi o te rā (Sunrays) to accentuate the Chiefs home colours.
The rays of Tamanuiterā touch all parts of the Chiefs contributing unions radiating energy and power, depicted in the top half of the design.
The lower kōwhaiwhai (ornate swirls) depict the flow of waterways throughout the region connecting the Chiefs whānau, sponsors, members, players, clubs and supporters.
‘̄ ̄ – ’
Our design draws on inspiration from Tamanuiterā (The Sun). It uses ngā hihi o te rā (sunrays) to accentuate the Gallagher Chiefs home colours.
FULL DESIGN STORY – https://t.co/uIjwSB6wSA pic.twitter.com/xcRJSIm17s
— Gallagher Chiefs (@ChiefsRugby) December 5, 2021
The away jersey – ‘He Piringa Pāua’ represents loyalty and allegiance. The jersey design utilises the vibrant colouring of the pāua shell and is inspired by the Māori axiom, ‘Ka haere te pāua ki te toka, he piringa pāua – The pāua will go to the rock and cling to it fiercely.’ Denoting that even when the team plays away from home, they will always return just as the pāua returns to the rock if dislodged.
Like the home jersey, the flowing kōwhaiwhai (ornate swirls) represent connecting waterways which will always carry the team back home.
The Hurricanes new home jersey pays homage to the iconic original Hurricanes jersey, whilst redefining the design with a fresh new aesthetic and detailing.
“Our jersey features a pattern inspired by our mighty winds, a source of our strength, reflecting both the traditional narrative from our region and our unstoppable momentum,” said Hurricanes CEO, Avan Lee.
“The blue stripes are a throwback to the Hurricanes very first Super Rugby jersey. The blue stripe on the original jersey is iconic, so we are really pleased to see its return with a new modern take.”
Introducing the 2022 Hurricanes x @adidasrugby jerseys
2022 sees the comeback of the iconic blue three stripe design, and the new charcoal alternate jersey.
Pre-order here: https://t.co/Lc8oxzTKbd pic.twitter.com/TMzNaGMEOr
— Hurricanes Rugby (@Hurricanesrugby) December 5, 2021
The new training jersey sees a completely fresh approach from the Hurricanes. The Pasifika-inspired jersey is a vibrant representation of the Hurricanes Pasifika community, depicting coconut palms and frangipani flowers.
“This jersey is really special to us. We wanted it to reinforce what we are trying to do off the field, which is to celebrate and embrace the multi-cultural connections within our community. It will be great to see the guys wearing it in the lead-up to games throughout the season.”
The Crusaders new jersey is a reflection of the collective strength of our region. Its design draws on the strength of this unique place we call home. The six peaks representing the collective mana of our six provincial unions, Buller, Canterbury, Mid-Canterbury, South-Canterbury, Tasman and West-Coast.
These mountain ranges don’t divide us, they unite us.
Introducing our 2022 Jerseys
Pre-order now available – https://t.co/qCJtSKW8oe#CrusadersRugby pic.twitter.com/UQgigEQ6nM
— Crusaders (@crusadersrugby) December 5, 2021
“From the mountains, to the sea, we’re bound by a common purpose, a shared goal to achieve great things. It’s not about the individual mountainWhen we’re united, we can’t be moved. These mountain ranges don’t divide us, they unite us and just like them, our diversity strengthens our team and our community.
“Brought together through the substance of our colours – Mā pango mā whero, ka oti te mahi. With black and red, we will achieve,” the team said in a statement.
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