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Springboks to wear white in crucial Ireland clash: 'We're getting on with the job'

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Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi with Faf de Klerk in the Springboks' change strip they wore against Scotland in their opening Rugby World Cup game on 10 September. They'll be in their all-white strip for the Ireland game on 23 September.
Springbok coach Jacques Nienaber and captain Siya Kolisi with Faf de Klerk in the Springboks' change strip they wore against Scotland in their opening Rugby World Cup game on 10 September. They'll be in their all-white strip for the Ireland game on 23 September.
Steve Haag/Gallo Images
  • The Springboks will be playing in their third strip, an all-white jersey with hyper-jade shorts in Saturday's clash against Ireland in Paris.
  • The Boks were in their green and gold strip for the first time in the tournament on Sunday when they beat Romania 76-0 in Bordeaux.
  • World Rugby's colour vision deficiency rules mean the Boks will wear an alternative strip for the second time in the tournament, having done the same against Scotland on 10 September.
  • For more sports news, please visit News24 Sport's front page.

In Paris

The Springboks will be back in white, but with hyper-jade shorts for their blockbuster Rugby World Cup Pool B clash against Ireland at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis on Saturday.

It's not a matter of kit wars, but an adherence to World Rugby's colour vision deficiencies.

The Boks were in their hyper-jade strip with full jade shorts for their 18-3 win against Scotland in their opening game in Marseille on 10 September.

They then reverted to their normal green and gold for their 76-0 win against Romania in Bordeaux as Romania's yellow didn't clash with their colours.

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Ireland, who will be in their normal strip of emerald green shirts with white shorts, were in white shirts and navy blue shorts in Saturday's 59-16 win against Tonga in Nantes, with Tonga playing in their normal red and white kit.

National director of rugby Rassie Erasmus said it wasn't a big deal for them to be in their change strip, for, at the end of the day, it was a Bok jersey.

"We all know about the colour vision deficiency initiative where World Rugby is trying to make a difference by helping people to be able to see which team is which," Erasmus said.

Springboks in their change strip for Sunday's Rugb
Springboks in their change strip for Sunday's Rugby World Cup game against Scotland.
News24 Steve Haag/Gallo Images

"We fully understand that and Nike chose to have the hyper-jade one that we sometimes play in.

"We as the Springbok team know we are representing our country. We have the Springbok on our badge. We understand some people like it, and some don't.

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"If you ask the younger generation, they love it; if you ask the older generation, they say a lot of tradition goes out the window.

"We, as players, coaches and management, are just getting on with the job. We are playing in the white one this week.

"We are playing for South Africa and that is the most important thing."

Springboks' 2023 Rugby World Cup kits.
Springboks' 2023 Rugby World Cup kits.
News24 Springbok Rugby World Cup media guide

A statement from SA Rugby further clarified that the Boks will only be able to wear their green and gold kit if they're drawn as Team A in the event they advance to the play-offs.

In the event they're drawn as Team B, they'll have to pick either the hyper-jade strip, which is their second strip or the all-white one.

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An SA Rugby spokesperson said the Boks don't always have the option of wearing their original strip as much as they want.

"The Springboks are not permitted to wear the green and gold jersey in every Test match – as much as we would like to," the spokesperson said.

"The alternative jersey colour is white, but Nike proposed enhancing the plain look with a modern design drawing on various influences in a new combination to appeal to a new and wider audience.

"It was presented to senior Springboks, who gave it their seal of approval."

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