Since ASICS took over the Wallabies contract back in 2014, it seems like the Japanese apparel maker has been gradually distilling and stripping back the Wallabies shirt to make it as clean and simple as possible.
Very little has gone right for the Wallabies Rugby World Cup 2019 preparations, but with this new primary jersey for the global showpiece, you can say that ASICS have at least created a jersey that most people can get on board with.
There’s no Southern Cross motifs here, no unnecessary piping or any other superflous details here – we have a clean gold shirt with green sleeve cuffs and a green collar and… that’s it.
The collar is identical to the modernist design seen on the new Springboks RWC2019 jersey, though they’ve resisted the temptation to put any white in it, a smart move, in our books. Other than that, however, that’s basically it.
At the last Rugby World Cup, the Wallabies had an alternate shirt that didn’t even get worn (the RWC requires teams to have one just in case), but the ARU has opted for something a bit different this time around.
Instead, the Wallabies have decided to bring the hugely popular and successful Indigenous jersey concept to the World Cup, taking the fantastic and memorable jersey design worn against the All Blacks and England in recent years, and giving it a dark green twist.
The striking aboriginal art that was created on for the original shirt has been replicated here, complete with various wallabies surrounded by 14 symbols to represent the 14 indigenous players who have represented the Wallabies, but with a dark green base design.
Despite it being a recycled design in a fashion, we don’t mind one jot – the original jersey was stunning, and this fresh twist on it breaks new ground for the World Cup, and feels so much more interesting than a regular change shirt. With a decent and clean home shirt into the mix too, the Aussies will at least have nothing to worry about in the jersey stakes at Japan 2019.
Check out all the new Rugby World Cup 2019 jerseys in our full round-up here.
Rugby Shirt Watch 