RWC 2011 Team Strips

German Blouses and their competition.

Remember all that fuss in here in NZ just before the tournament started about Adidas’ prcing of this year’s new All Black jersey? It got me to thinking if anyone else had such issues, or even which other nations would be turning up for RWC in an Adidas top. And what companies provide the kit for those other 19 national teams?

Well, here’s the answer in a pictogasmic format for you, along with some quickly googled factoids about the various manufacturers.

It also shattered a little myth for me: that of the zee big German company stealing the sacred AB real estate of plucky little NZ family business Canterbury. It turns out that the Canterbury rugby brand started here is no longer owned by NZ, but in fact thriving in the hands of a one of the UK’s largest private equity firms, The Pentland Group since the late 90s.... and along with (originally) Australian brand KooGa, now sits under the ownership of JD Sports, a very large sports apparel & equipment seller in the UK.