Best detail: Highlander figure-grip pattern.
Worst detail: Scoop neck.
What the Highlanders say: “This jersey captures the essence of southern pride through a simple yet expressive design, symbolising the values of hard work, legacy, and pride.”
What the NZ Herald says: As far as a classic Highlanders look goes this is true to the brand. No fuss, predominantly navy with a hint of gold and maroon trim. A splash of gold might make it pop a bit more, though. The maroon away version is a fan favourite and it’s great to see it continue but seems to accentuate the low neck even more. Scroll through the post and there is no discernible difference between the off-field kit and the playing kit, until you notice the change in sponsor and the dash of purple.
What the fashion experts say:
“One of the more memorable Highlanders jerseys was circa 2000 when the blues and yellow were a distinctive point of difference on the field. Over the years, the jersey has morphed into something far more subdued, and this latest iteration is an example of this. Design-wise for both off-field and playing kit, the wider neckline is somewhat distracting. If I were to pick a favourite, the maroon away kit is surprisingly easier on the eye and teams well with white shorts.” – Dan Ahwa, Viva creative and fashion director.
“The Speights branding around the collar is quite cool. The maroon away kit is definitely the strongest of the bunch. That said, the diagonal stripes on the training jersey (inspired by the aurora australis) are a nice design detail, and warrant a closer look – perhaps something nice to dissociate with from the midst of a scrum.” – Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle
Blues
First impression: Health insurance.
Best detail: 1997/98 throwback.
Worst detail: Too many details.
What the Blues say: ”The Blues rohe [region] holds diversity in its history, landscape, and its people. The 2024 Blues jersey reflects that diversity with a primary focus on the four tides that surround us – the Manukau Harbour, Waitematā Harbour, Kaipara Harbour and the Hokianga.” There are also nods to the four provincial unions that make up the region on the back of the collar and base, a nice touch.
What the NZ Herald says: The white away jersey has classic potential, simple, and the stripe down the middle gives off early 2000s vibes. The home jersey shows the merging of the four tides with a nice fade from top to bottom, but there is far too much going on and the best part along the hem is barely visible. Bright sponsor logos on a dark background command a lot of the attention and detract from the finer details. The Blues and Classic get all the bonus points for their nod toward the iconic and much sought after Canterbury Temex models of the late 1990s.
What the fashion experts say:
“If distracting opponents on the field with a busy jersey was the aim here, then the Blues have succeeded – there’s a lot going on. I do like the collar detail, and again I have to agree here with Will, there’s something clever about acknowledging the heritage of the club, and the away kit is again another standout homage to the nostalgia of those earlier kits from the 90s. There’s a distinctive colour palette that you can always associate with the Blues here, and it’s far stronger than its over-wrought home jersey. I would wear this with jeans.” – Dan Ahwa, Viva creative and fashion director.
“Okay I really like these. They remind me of watching sport on a low-resolution television screen as a kid. And with so many kits across the field (pun intended) scaling back their use of colour, the fact that the Blues have embraced it is refreshing. Apparel brands are leaning into nostalgia heavily in recent years – an easy win it’s true, but a look I appreciate – so it’s interesting to see this flowing into professional and performance sportswear a bit more too. On the collars, I agree with Dan: excellent.” – Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle
Crusaders
First impression: There’s a jersey in that video somewhere, I’m sure of it.
Best detail: The black away jersey.
Worst detail: The red home jersey.
What the Crusaders say: ”Weaved into their latest jersey design are six peaks and rivers, honouring their fans and players from across the upper South Island. The Crusaders looked at the mountains from a new perspective, acknowledging a new chapter in Crusaders history.”
What the NZ Herald says: This one can be best described as a history essay that was written the night before it was due; you’ve got the names and dates right but there’s no critical thinking, a C mark is your best hope. Ambiguity rarely hits the mark with sports kits and having a few stripes across the front and calling them maunga or awa seems lazy. The black away jersey is objectively a very smart jersey but it’s just the home in reverse colours, again giving the impression there wasn’t a whole lot of effort put into this.
What the fashion experts say:
“This jersey is a victim of modern-day hype and marketing. Yes, you’ve thrown in a few tenuous, box-ticking words in te reo Māori and perhaps linked the design to our natural environment, but it feels like an oversell, and unfortunately the result is a little dull.” – Dan Ahwa, Viva creative and fashion director.
“This looks like a shirt you’d wear for a fun run at work. The stripes aren’t bad, but this doesn’t have enough gravitas for me.” – Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle
Hurricanes
First impression: That’s a Hurricanes jersey.
Best detail: Mangopare/niho motif.
Worst detail: Is that a Moana Pasifika training jersey?
What the Hurricanes say: ”Connecting back to our kōrero pūrākau of the separation of Ranginui and Papatūānuku, the Hurricanes see themselves as manifestations of the shifting winds and the unstoppable force of a Hurricane.”
What the NZ Herald says: The yellow home jersey does what it says on the tin, it’s unmistakably ‘Canes. For their away the black with silver design is at the same time understated and eye-catching. The grip layout is a little chaotic but it’s adventurous, once you look at the close up you can see it is made up of Hurricanes logos. These jerseys will look great on field and do a cracking job of representing what the Hurricanes are about. However, it’s a shame the boldest design is for the away jersey.
What the fashion experts say:
“I love the Mangopare/niho motif – this is one way to actually not be vague about design inspired by the Moana-nui-a-Kiwa, but to fully embrace the linear patterns that are threaded across the Oceania. It’s intricate but not overwhelming and ties in beautifully with the kits. My only issue again is why on earth are the majority of the home kits so bad? This looks like it could be a kit for a Pak‘nSave corporate team.” – Dan Ahwa, Viva creative and fashion director.
“The Speights branding around the collar is quite q. The maroon away kit is definitely the stronger of the two, that said, the diagonal stripes on the training jersey (inspired by the aurora australis) are a nice design detail, and warrant a closer look – perhaps a nice distraction from the midst of a scrum.” – Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle
Chiefs
First impression: Chiefs mana.
Best detail: Huruhuru (feather) design on training jersey.
Worst detail: Don’t say the c-word.
What the Chiefs say: “We are all connected on this awa, there is a Chief at every bend, and that’s your responsibility to breathe and live the values of what it means to be a Chief.”
What the NZ Herald says: It looks like Classic ‘gave each franchise two template options’ and the Chiefs and Highlanders decided no-collar Friday was the theme this year. Hate to bang on about the collar but it takes what could be the best combination of home, away and training from a title fight to the undercard. The white away strip in particular is a beautiful design that is intricate without being distracting.
What the fashion experts say:
“Possibly one of my favourite kits for the season, this strikes the right balance right between how a kit can represent harmony in design if the motifs and colour palette complement each other, which in this case it does. The white and black kits in particular feel like what a modern-day rugby kit should be – sharp, dynamic and contemporary.” – Dan Ahwa, Viva creative and fashion director.
“10/10. They have cool factor, mana and each jersey iteration is as good as the next. Nice stripe at the hem of the shorts too.” – Emma Gleason, deputy editor lifestyle
Observations
The best thing for fans about the move from Adidas to Classic is that Classic doesn’t roll out the same template for each team i.e. five of the same style jerseys with different colours or designs. There’s room for a unique identity in each jersey, be that for better or worse.
Fans will no doubt be excited at the prospect of more heritage or other special edition jerseys that you see rolled out in NRL and American sports. Some see this as a money grab and they can be if they’re not done right, but done in a tasteful way with some meaning behind them and they can become instant classics. The Blues showed that if you listen to fans, they’re easy to please.
(A plea to social media teams: hype videos make nice social media content, but they fail dismally at their core function of showcasing the jersey. Please follow up with a well-lit photo of home and away so fans can actually see the things properly.)
Will Toogood is an Online Sports Editor for the NZ Herald. He has previously worked for Newstalk ZB’s digital team and at Waiheke’s Gulf News, covering sports and events.
