The new 2022/23 Gallagher Chiefs home and away Jerseys have just been launched - in the photo you can see the home jersey. Photo / Chiefs Rugby Club
The new 2022/23 Gallagher Chiefs home and away Jerseys have just been launched - in the photo you can see the home jersey. Photo / Chiefs Rugby Club
The 2022/23 Gallagher Chiefs Home and Away Jerseys have launched in time for Christmas and their designs are linked to the Chiefs region, whānau and Māori heritage.
While the home jersey design, "Ngā hihi o te rā - The Rays of the Sun", was inspired by the sun (Tamanuiterā), the away jersey design "He Piringa Pāua" was 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."
Chiefs Rugby Club chief executive officer Michael Collins is very excited about the launch of the new jerseys and says a great deal of hard work went into the design and production.
"The connection to our Chiefs region, whānau and Māori heritage are important aspects of our jersey design ... we are pleased to now be able to share the final products with our members, sponsors, fans and players and hope they will wear them with pride."
The home jersey depicts sunrays (ngā hihi o te rā) in the top half of the design to accentuate the Gallagher Chiefs home colours and to represent energy and power. The bottom half of the design depicts kōwhaiwhai (ornate swirls) which stand for the flow of waterways throughout the Waikato region, connecting the Chiefs whānau and supporters.
The away jersey uses the vibrant colouring of the pāua shell to represent loyalty and allegiance, showing 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 jerseys were developed in collaboration with Adidas, NZR Māori Cultural Adviser Luke Crawford and Designer Dave Burke.
The jerseys are available from all Adidas stores and major sporting goods retailers.
Gallagher Chiefs Alex Nankivell, Shaun Stevenson and Josh Ioane in the 2022/2023 Gallagher Chiefs away jersey. Photo / Chiefs Rugby Club
Meanwhile, the Chiefs Rugby Club announced the name of their women's team is now Waitomo Chiefs Manawa, deriving from two Māori words, mana and wāhine.
The internal process of developing the new team identity focused on developing a name that connected the Chiefs Rugby Club's people, places, past and present.
Waitomo Chiefs Manawa head coach Allan Bunting says: "It was important for our name to come from within the Chiefs story, but also hold an opportunity for us to create our own identity, something to make our own and to be really special moving forward."
He says the team has indeed come up with something that was "unique to the ladies".
"In the name Manawa there is a lot of meaning, and it will be pretty sacred to the team. It translates into heart, chiefly heart, and for us, it is important to be connected through the heart."
The Chiefs Rugby Club has a longstanding association with Te Ao Māori and in particular the inclusion of a deeper relationship and understanding of Te Ao Māori concepts and practice.
Waitomo Chiefs Manawa: Pia Tapsell, Chyna Hohepa and Hazel Tubic. Photo / Chiefs Rugby Club
The 2022 Waitomo Chiefs Manawa jersey was also unveiled. At the heart of the inaugural Waitomo Chiefs Manawa jersey design is a hammerhead shark (mangōpare) depicting determination and tenacity. When the pattern is viewed from another angle it depicts the manawa (beating heart) shape.
Te Raranga Harakeke – The Flax Weave connects to the more feminine art of weaving and the accompanying proverb, "Tūngia te ururoa, kia tupu whakaritorito te tupu o te harakeke" – "Burn off the overgrowth so that the flax shoots may sprout", speaks to clearing away all impediments to ensure success.
The flax weave sits behind the flowing design of the kōwhaiwhai pattern which represents the connecting waterways flowing in the Chiefs' contributing regions.
Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Michael Collins said this was a proud and historic moment.
"We know the narrative will continue to grow and our Mana Wāhine will install pride in the name. We are looking forward to seeing the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa squad connect with their new identity and bring the name to life. The creation of our new team is a special event, not only in our club's history, but the history of women's rugby in New Zealand."
