• Nike has officially unveiled the new jersey that the Springboks will wear for the upcoming 2023 Rugby Championship tournament.
• The collection includes a home and away strip, along with options for fans.
• The entire collection is set to go on sale locally from 7th July.

After months of waiting, Nike has officially unveiled the new Springbok jerseys.

The announcement comes after the apparel maker signed a six-year long sponsorship with the current world champions, keeping the designs for the kit a tightly guarded secret up until now.

The jerseys, which include a home and away version seen below, will be worn by the Springboks during the upcoming 2023 Rugby Championship, which kicks off with a match against Australia locally on 8th July.

SA Rugby has confirmed that the jerseys, along with a supporter’s collection are set to go on sale in South Africa from 7th July, although recommended pricing on the below options is yet to be outlined.

“The launch of a new jersey is always exciting, but the anticipation and expectancy around today has been building for months. We are immensely proud of what Nike has provided and the feedback from the team has been great since they were kitted with the training gear recently. The new jersey honours the traditions of the Springboks in its design and construction while adding subtle nuances to set it apart. We couldn’t be happier,” noted Rian Oberholzer, CEO of SA Rugby, in a blog post about the unveiling.

In terms of how this kit differs from the ones Nike makes for other countries, like Argentina, the apparel company said, “The classic ‘green and gold’ jersey has been reimagined to include a traditional collar with the underside of the collar giving a nod to the South African flag. As an acknowledgment of the team’s spirit, the phrase “Stronger Forever” is inscribed on the inside collar.”

“The bold new alternative jersey pays homage to the local culture through the patterned print and the colourway was inspired by and celebrates the hues of the local nature,” it added.

As for the technological elements of the new Springbok jersey are concerned, much of this appears to be focused on keeping players cool. “Ventilation mesh panels in key areas of the kit also improve performance by increasing air circulation to the players’ bodies and regulating their temperatures,” SA Rugby highlighted.

We will still need to see how the Springboks perform in their new jerseys, especially the away version that could be interpreted as an Argentinian one, but we now know what the team will be wearing for the upcoming tournament.