Rugby World Cup 2019 tournament hosts Japan have revealed the brand new and radical new Canterbury jerseys that the Brave Blossoms will wear in the global showpiece later this year.
The new home jerseys are inspired by the Bushido, the traditional honour code of the Samurai way of life, and this is reflected in details big and small throughout the shirt.
Most strikingly, the traditional red and white hoops of the Japan jersey have been transformed into squared off V-shaps, with gold accents. The shape is designed to be reminiscent of the ‘fukigaeshi’ that protrude out of traditional Samurai helmets, while also reflecting the motif of ‘Aoi’, which is supposed to express ‘speed, liveliness and power’.
The red hoops are accented by gold flares, designed to reflect the sun cresting over the top of Japan’s famous Mt Fuji.
The jersey is also sublimated with myriad intricate ‘Kiyoshi’ patterns that are designed to bring good luck, and represent ‘force, peace and auspiciousness’. The change shirt is the same basic design, but with light and dark blue replacing the red and white hoops.
Japan will wear their new jerseys for their opening Rugby World Cup 2019 match against Russia on 20 September, check out all the new RWC2019 jerseys here.
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