Springboks unveil anthem-inspired jersey for All Blacks rivalry series

The Springboks will wear a special jersey carrying the words of South Africa’s national anthem when they meet the All Blacks in the four-Test Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry series.

Nike and SA Rugby revealed the new design on Wednesday, with the kit created specifically for the Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tour.

South Africa will wear the jersey for the first time against New Zealand at 10bet Ellis Park on 22 August. The match will mark the return of a four-Test series between the two rugby nations after a 30-year wait.

The most distinctive feature is a subtle tone-on-tone graphic based on the lyrics of South Africa’s national anthem, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika. The words have been arranged to form the shape of the South African flag across the front of the jersey.

The anthem appears in all five of the languages used in its lyrics – Xhosa, Zulu, Sotho, Afrikaans and English. The design is intended to reflect South Africa’s varied voices, histories and communities.

The jersey also includes Nike FIT ADV technology, using a lightweight performance construction developed for the physical and technical demands of the modern game.

It will be worn exclusively in the four Rugby’s Greatest Rivalry Tests against New Zealand.

“This truly is a Tour like no other and so is this jersey,” said SA Rugby CEO Rian Oberholzer.

“Nike have outdone themselves in developing a design that speaks directly and honestly to the motivation of the team and management – they play for the people of South Africa and wear their hearts on their sleeve; now they will wear the words of the anthem on their chests.”

The series will renew one of international rugby’s major rivalries, with the first Test at 10bet Ellis Park providing the occasion for the new kit’s debut. The return to a four-Test contest comes three decades after South Africa and New Zealand last played a series in that format.

Rather than using a conventional single-colour design, Nike and SA Rugby have incorporated the national anthem into the jersey in a way that is intended to be understated while remaining visible. The lyrics’ presentation in five languages places the country’s cultural diversity at the centre of the kit.

The Springboks’ players and management will therefore take to the field wearing a jersey that links the team directly with the people of South Africa, while the wider tour brings back a four-match contest against the All Blacks after a 30-year gap.

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