Ireland’s stars gear-up for World Cup

IRISH players will wear state-of-the-art jerseys when competing in the Rugby World Cup.

The IRFU and kit partner, Canterbury of New Zealand, yesterday revealed the new tailor-made kit which has been specifically designed to meet the rigorous requirements of international rugby. Indeed, the shirts are designed to aid the performance of players in certain positions.

For example, the props will benefit from a shirt that enables their team-mates to bind more effectively to them during scrums. Lineout players will be wearing shorts with unique grip panels to aid lifting and backs will have jerseys with grip panels on their chests to aid ball retention when running.

Said Ireland captain, Brian O’Driscoll: “International rugby is intense and every team is searching for the competitive edge.”

Ireland Coach, Eddie O’Sullivan added: “Our preparations for the World Cup are leaving nothing to chance. Canterbury’s tailor-made kit is very much part of our ethos of leaving no stone unturned.”

The shirts are made from a lightweight, poly-cotton fabric, developed exclusively by Canterbury, called Temex, and incorporate an innovative moisture management system that helps to keep players cool.

Canterbury has also dispensed with its classic loop collar and replaced it with a tight-fitting, asymmetric neck-line — again to reduce fabric that an opponent could grip on to.

The slim-fitting garments include Lycra side panelling to ensure a snug fit and increased comfort. Each jersey includes a series of grip areas where a unique rubberised polymer has been added for ball handling and binding.

The new jersey will make its debut when Ireland take on Scotland on August 11 at Murrayfield in a World Cup warm-up match. The new kit will be available to the public from tomorrow.