Wales launch all inclusive jerseys

JERSEY LAUNCH: Wales have unveiled their new jerseys which is inspired by the national flag.

The home kit will be seen on the pitch for the first time when Wales Women take on Australia at Rodney Parade in their second WXV warm-up clash on September 20.

The main body of the home jersey is a traditional Wales red, with a white crew neck decorated by two thin lines – one red and one gold.

The same colour combination appears on the sleeve cuffs, while the sleeves and sides of the shirt feature tone-on-tone, dye-sub graphics, creating an optical effect representing dragon flames.

This exclusive motif also forms the background of the inside back neck label, while a design of the Welsh dragon is embossed at the base of the shirt’s back.

In a first for Wales, the men’s and women’s home kits will be completed with different shorts and socks combinations:

• The men’s kit has white shorts with red-tipped gold drawstrings and side bands plus red socks with a white top band and a horizontal gold stripe.

• The women’s squad will wear red shorts plus white socks.

The switch to red shorts for Wales Women is a unique change of kit designed to address period anxiety and was done in consultation with the squad.

Wales Women’s captain Hannah Jones said: “Wearing the red jersey is always a proud and special moment, knowing you are representing the nation, our families and friends, the players who have gone before and the Welsh supporters.

“Being the first national side to wear the new kit for our Test matches against Scotland and Australia in September, ahead of WXV2 in South Africa, is an honour and an exciting prospect.”

Dewi Lake, who captained the Wales senior men’s side on their recent tour of Australia, said: “Every time you put on the red jersey it’s an incredibly proud and special moment.”

“Playing for your country is a feeling like no other and it’s always an honour to pull the jersey on.”

“I know the boys will be excited to get back out at Millennium Stadium this autumn and give everything for our fans, our families and friends.”

The alternate jersey is white and has a green crew neckband with a red line.

The return of a white alternate jersey – which last featured in 2004/2005 – ensures alignment with rugby’s efforts to avoid kit clashes that limit the viewing experience for supporters with colour vision deficiency.

The alternate kit will also get its first outing when worn by the women, in their first WXV2 warm up match away against Scotland on Friday, September 6.

It will be seen again on Saturday, November 23 – this time on the men when they face South Africa in the third and final match of the Nations Series at Millennium Stadium.

The sleeve cuffs of the alternate jersey are also white, with two fine red and green lines on the edge.

Broad red bands, bordered by narrower diagonal green bands, run down the sides. The inside neck label is customised in the same way as the home jersey and the base of the shirt back also features an embossed dragon.

The alternate kit is completed by green shorts with red and white details on the sides and red-tipped white drawstrings. The socks come in two variants: white with three broad, horizontal red bands and white with two red/green stripes, one just below the top and the other above the ankle.