Springbok fans not happy about ‘Checkers 60/60 kit’
The Springboks will be wearing their alternate kit – which is currently on sale – in their test match against Ireland, and fans are unhappy!
Fans have shared their disapproval at the sale of the Springboks second alternate kit – which the South African team will be wearing in their test match clash against Ireland on Saturday, 6 July.
The limited edition jersey, first worn during the Rugby World Cup, is currently available via the official SA Rugby Shop.
Rugby fans have nicknamed the jersey the “Checkers 60/60 kit” due to its turquoise (or hyper-jade) and white colours. Traditionally, South African sports teams are known to wear green and gold.
SPRINGBOKS ALTERNATIVE KIT GETS A THUMBS DOWN!
In a social media post, SA Rugby revealed that a limited quantity of the white and turquoise alternate kit would go on sale on Friday, 5 July.
The kit is priced at R1399.
However, Springbok supporters are not fans of the untraditional look.
@r1aan_th1art: “I’m sure I speak for the majority of Bok fans when I say we don’t like the alternate jersey!”
@ricky_b_89: “Why? There’s blue in it. There’s no blue in the Bok colors. It’s the Checkers 60/60 kit”.
@nathantoerin: “I hope no one buys this kit. SARU must see that they need to bring back the traditional Springbok colours.”
@scott_warwick: “Since when have we been Argentinian?”
SA VS IRELAND: COLOUR BLINDNESS A FACTOR?
As previously reported, the Springboks will wear the alternate kit in their test match against Ireland on Saturday, 6 July, at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria.
Both the SA and Irish teams have a green home kit. However, with a new colour blindness policy in effect, the home team will have to wear their alternative white and turquoise ones.
Last year, the Springboks were also forced to wear their alternate kit during a clash with Ireland in the Rugby World Cup.
In a statement, SA Rugby claimed that the colour blindness policy prevented clashing colours on the pitch. This meant that the Springboks could neither wear green and gold nor the aqua blue [or hyper jade] kits against Ireland, whose kit is green.
Countries are required to amend their clashing kit colours following a coin toss.
INSPIRATION BEHIND ALTERNATE KIT
According to SA Rugby, the “hyper-jade” colour was “influenced by Ndebele design traditions.
It added: “We take inspiration from the brightly-coloured houses of Bo Kaap, the tranquil waters of Camps Bay, and the multicolored flora of the region.
“We celebrate the vivid and diverse nature of South Africa with a unique hyper-jade hue. A new injection of colour to the Springbok identity embedded in a diverse country.”
