England Fans Unveil Rugby World Cup Shirt

Early on Monday morning more than 3,600 rugby fans published the exclusive first image of England’s new shirt for the Rugby World Cup 2015 across their social media channels ahead of the official unveiling at Twickenham Stadium.

The Canterbury kit was unveiled alongside a launch video including the likes of captain Chris Robshaw, James Haskell and Dan Cole. Watch it at Sport Industry TV.

Ahead of the tournament, which kicks off on 18^th September, the new kit is now available for pre-sale and will be released in stores from Friday 17^th July. Replica versions are available from £70, while 2,015 commemorative shirts – identical to those worn by Stuart Lancaster’s side – will also be on offer for £120.

According to Canterbury, manufacturing the jerseys as part of a four-year £5m deal, the kit is the brand’s most lightweight ever. The shirt, which features a 3D injection moulded rose, was created using 3D body-mapping to support the varied physiques of a modern rugby player. The kit also includes contoured ‘ball deadening’ grip placement.

England head coach Stuart Lancaster said: “Every player in the squad takes enormous pride in pulling on the England shirt.  As a group, we talk about the unbreakable bond of the rose between former, current and future players and for this symbol to be emphasised in 3D form is a key feature. 

“We are grateful for the support of the fans and in the year of a home World Cup the power of the nation behind us can be the difference.  It is great that it was the supporters who launched the shirt and that they have been central to the day.”

A specially selected group of England supporters were invited to be in attendance at the shirt unveil as part of Canterbury’s ‘Launched by the Loyal’ campaign, rewarding those who signed up to pre-order their new England Rugby World Cup shirt before the design had been revealed.

Canterbury CEO, Chris Stephenson, said: “We’re proud to have developed a shirt that benefits both the players who are entering the biggest rugby tournament of their lives and the fans across the country that will be following every moment of the action. Bringing both players and fans together at Twickenham was the perfect way to reward their shared commitment to the rose and we now look forward to what will be a fantastic Rugby World Cup”.