While there is "little change" in the teams qualifying for the 2011 and 2015 Rugby World Cups, "there has been a game of musical chairs" played out among the kit suppliers, according to Dave Williams of RUNNING RUGBY. Here "we try and set the scene, and the numbers behind the scene." It "would seem that yet again the tournament is New Zealand’s to lose." Even more so for adidas -- the All Blacks’ kit supplier -- "in terms of marketing prominence." Not only is its team favorite "to go the furthest in the competition and generate most exposure," the brand now has France (previously Nike) and Italy (Kappa) wearing its kit. With arch-rivals Nike reportedly conducting an organized withdrawal from rugby and only Argentina wearing the swoosh on its kits and a group of individual players wearing its footwear, adidas "is likely to be more prominent than ever this autumn." Japanese performance brand Asics "has grabbed some of the limelight by signing kit deals with South Africa (previously Canterbury) and Australia (Kooga) largely in anticipation of the Japan event in 2019." One other major multi-sport brand "still in the game is Under Armour." It still has not quite played its hand: "continuing with Wales and signing up Canada and Georgia (both previously Kooga) recently" (RUNNING RUGBY, 8/20).
Country
|
2011 RWC Kit Supplier
|
2015 RWC Kit Supplier
|
Argentina
|
adidas |
Nike |
Australia
|
Kooga
|
Asics
|
Canada
|
Kooga
|
Under Armour
|
England
|
Nike
|
Canterbury
|
Fiji
|
Kooga
|
BLK
|
France
|
Nike
|
adidas
|
Georgia
|
Kooga
|
Under Armour
|
| Japan |
Canterbury |
Canterbury |
Ireland
|
Puma
|
Canterbury |
| Italy |
Kappa
|
adidas |
| Namibia |
Puma
|
Canterbury
|
New Zealand
|
adidas
|
adidas
|
Romania
|
Kooga
|
BLK
|
Russia
|
Canterbury
|
N/A
|
Samoa
|
Kooga
|
BLK
|
Scotland
|
Canterbury
|
Macron
|
South Africa
|
Canterbury
|
Asics
|
| Tonga |
Kooga
|
BLK
|
Uruguay
|
N/A
|
Kooga
|
| U.S. |
Canterbury
|
BLK
|
Wales
|
Under Armour
|
Under Armour
|
