With the Rugby World Cup in the rear view mirror and the Webb Ellis Cup safely back in the Southern Hemisphere for another four years, attentions turn once again to the start of the brand new Super Rugby season.
This is actually the 25th season of Super Rugby, and the last in the current format – the Sunwolves being dropped from the tournament next year to return the competition back to the 14-team format that was used between 2006 and 2011.
Before that happens, however, there’s the small matter of the 2020 Super Rugby season, so let’s check out all the brand new jerseys teams will be sporting for the season ahead.
Blues
Beauden Barrett’s new team will be strikingly attired when they walk onto the field this season, thanks to this bold new design from Adidas.
With various geometric patterns and shades of blue, the jersey certainly doesn’t look like anything we’ve seen before.
Brumbies
The Brumbies will be in O’Neills for a second season this year, and given that the 2019 version was very much a classic Brumbies home shirt, we wondered if they might want to experiment with something a little different this season…
The answer was an emphatic ‘no’ with the Brumbies sticking firmly to the classic recipe with a design that is only slightly tweaked from last year.
Bulls
The Bulls have really not had a great track record with their Puma-designed jerseys over the last few seasons, and 2020 looks to be another stinker.
The bovine pattern of the home shirt is certainly a little different, but we’re honestly not sure who thought that it actually looked good.
Chiefs
Another year and it’s another hugely detailed and ornate Chiefs jersey that’s been designed in partnership with the NZRU’s Moari cultural expert.
While all these jerseys undoubtedly look great, and we love the detail and thought that goes into each one… but we have to ask, after four or five years of doing this now, is it time for the Chiefs to try something a little different?
Crusaders
The reigning champions announced their intent to overhaul their logo and branding this season, but it’s all come a bit too late so we won’t see any of this until later on this season when they reveal a special jersey to debut it.
In the meantime we have a transition logo on a jersey that features an triangle-based pattern that’s designed to represent the Southern Alps mountains.
Highlanders
The Highlanders are understandably big fans of reflecting the Celtic heritage, and this 2020 jersey is no exception.
This one features a pattern that, when viewed alongside all the other jerseys will create a tartan effect.
Hurricanes
The Wellington franchise is going full-yellow this season, with some subtle black accents on the sleeve cuffs and collar.
The pattern on the design itself represents actual wind readings from Wellington in the year that the Canes last won Super Rugby in 2016.
Jaguares
The Jaguares have been black for the last four seasons, but they appear to have gone for a very dark, midnight blue shade for their primary jersey this year, complete with light blue fern motif.
As usual we have some lovely bright orange accents to give a splash of colour to what would otherwise be a very dark design.
Lions
We don’t know what it is about the South African teams this season, but nobody’s really having a good one jersey-wise this year. The Lions weird white with black and red fade design is no exception.
What’s really weird, however, is the decision to stick the Canterbury logo in a place we can only describe as ‘the crotch’
Rebels
It’s been the better part of half a decade since the Rebels actually did anything remotely interesting with their jersey design, and we’re not holding out much hope for 2020.
Still, their pink and blue training kit is a bit out of the ordinary so who knows maybe they’ve discovered a bit of design flair.
Reds
The Reds are sticking with Maroon for their primary jersey for 2019, and the jersey itself is very similar to the Dynasty design we got last season, and that’s no bad thing.
The big changes for 2020 are some nice pinstripes around the sleeves and a large multi-part collar, though the lovely hooped away shirt is the star of the show this year.
Sharks
No word on if the Sharks will mix up their home shirt yet, but the away design is plain white with a crowd of faces embossed across the bottom of the design.
In truth, all that’s really done is make what would have been a blandly inoffensive design look pretty horrible.
Stormers
The Stormers are back for another year with BLK, and this time we get an innovative take on the classic hoops of Western Province.
The diagonal stripes are certainly striking, as is the cloud-based black away shirt.
Sunwolves
No news on whether the Sunwolves will have a new jersey for their final season in Super Rugby, but the one they wore last season is rather nice.
It’ll be a great shame to see the Sunwolves leave Super Rugby as they’ve consistently offered some of the most inventive and unusual shirts in the competition since they joined.
Waratahs
The Waratahs have parted ways with long-time supplier Canterbury for 2020, and signed up with XBlades, marking the Aussie brand’s first entry into Super Rugby.
The home shirt is predictably clean and simple, while the white away shirt has a nice striped approach.
Rugby Shirt Watch 
I won’t be watching Super Rugby anymore with the removal of the Sunwolves. I know a few friends that are doing the same, in protest. I understand, and agree, that making the league smaller was really a must, but the Sunwolves needed time to develop and figure things out. It’s a real shame.