Two kits in 12 months for Irish supporters

Ireland will wear its updated jersey just 12 times before new kit suppliers Canterbury provide a re-design ahead of the 2015 World Cup.

The IRFU yesterday announced Canterbury of New Zealand as its new kit sponsor from September 1 in a six-year deal understood to be worth in excess of €20m to the IRFU. The national team will first play in a new changed strip when they face South Africa on November 8 in Dublin before wearing the green ‘home’ jersey only a further 11 times across the rest of the autumn 2014 Tests, the following spring’s Six Nations and the quartet of World Cup warm-up games that August, before a new kit is launched at England 2015.

The deal comes after current suppliers Puma announced an end to its involvement in rugby last January when its contract with the IRFU ends this summer. That left Ireland without a kit deal a year out from the next World Cup when the team would have otherwise continued with its existing shirt until the tournament begins in 20 months. So, despite acknowledging the potential pressure being placed on supporters to buy two jerseys within a shorter than normal timeframe, IRFU commercial and marketing director Padraig Power believes the best deal possible has been struck.

“The deal announced with Canterbury is a wonderful deal, we’re delighted with it” Power told the Irish Examiner. “We’ve got the best deal, money-wise, that was out there, and we’ve got the best kit that was out there and we’re extremely happy.”

Power promised the quick turnaround in kit design over the next 20 months would be a one-off, not to be repeated.

“The (first Canterbury) kit will be for one season because we’re going into a World Cup year but we’re not at all changing the kit every season (after that). We wouldn’t do that.”

A further headache could come if or when current shirt sponsors O2’s buyout by 3 Mobile is approved by the EU’s competition authority. The IRFU’s contract with O2, set to run until 2016, will mean a change of logo on the Irish jersey should the company’s sale go ahead, meaning another alteration for both kit manufacturers and consumer.