0
Boks reveal their new kit by Stephen Nell
Posted on Thursday, July 19, 2007 - 23:13
If you see a Springbok wearing a jersey with one long sleeve and one short sleeve during the rugby World Cup tournament this year, don't be concerned.
View the latest Bok video highlights
It is all part of the plan to bring the Webb Ellis Cup to South Africa.
The South African prop forwards will wear these unusual jerseys in France to make it more difficult for their opponents to get a grip on them in the scrums.
Jerseys designed for specific positions constitute one of the innovations that the sponsors of the Springboks' kit, Canterbury, have devised to give the South Africans something extra in the tournament in France.
However, the players will also wear conventional long and short-sleeve jerseys.,
"The South African jersey will have more characteristics and advantages than that of any other country," Canterbury's managing director Paul Zacks said when the team's World Cup outfit was introduced at Canal Walk here on Thursday evening.
The Springboks will also wear shorts with special inserts to assist them when they support lineout jumpers, and to ensure good binding in the scrums.
Zacks said the new gear had been developed over a period of three years.
"We invested a great deal of time and money to develop the best jersey in the world," he said.
Springbok captain John Smit was more than satisfied. "These are the little things that will make a difference," he said.
http://www.superrugby.co.za/default....gby/springboks