New Official Jersey for Japanese National Rugby Team with Tagline of “JAPAN WAY”
Canterbury of New Zealand Japan (Location: Shinjuku, Tokyo / President: Kunio Morimoto), one of the group companies of GOLDWIN Inc. (HQ: Shibuya, Tokyo / President: Akio Nishida / First Section of the Tokyo Stock Exchange: 8111), and the Japan Rugby Football Union have unveiled the new official jersey for the Japanese National Rugby Team.
A replica version of the jersey has been available for sale since July 17, 2015 at Canterbury of New Zealand shops nationwide.
The jersey embodies “JAPAN WAY,” the slogan of the national team, which expresses the unique and superior Japanese way of tackling each and every task. Team Japan’s strength, speed, and vigor are expressed through traditional red and white stripes. The jersey is designed to be form-fitting; i.e., it moves with the body of the athlete, enabling players to perform at their peak with comfort.
Features:
1)Four different materials are used in selected parts of the jersey, each chosen specifically to improve the comfort and form-fitting ability of the specific part. Durability, stretch, and slip-prevention are optimized.
2)Durability and weight performance are optimized for rugby. Resistance to tearing damage is roughly three times greater than typical athletic clothing, and at the same time the jersey is 12% lighter than the previous version.
3)The jersey is more comfortable, with 10% more breathability that results in improved heat dissipation.
4)Players were 3D scanned to develop two fitting patterns (one for Front Row and the other for Second Row / Back Row / Backs) to optimize the fit for the unique movement and physique of rugby players in these positions. This enables each athlete to perform at the top of his ability.
5)A special resin-coated fabric enables better grip of the ball and prevents ball slip while catching and trapping the ball.
Team Japan Player Comments
Michael Leitch
I’m very happy that I can play wearing this new jersey in traditional red and white. It reminds me of the Team Japan jersey I saw when I was a kid. It fits well and seems to be lightweight even when wet. I look forward to playing in this jersey.
Shota Horie
A tight-fitting jersey tends to be too tight around the chest, but this jersey is more three dimensional with a dart across the chest that makes it feel more comfortable with little constraint. This is the very first jersey developed with a design exclusively for the front row. I’m very happy about that as a front row player. The shorts are very much of my kind, too: they are stretchy and I can lift my legs more easily.
The National Rugby Team will wear the jersey for the first time at Japan vs. World XV match in Lipovitan D Challenge Cup 2015 scheduled on Saturday, August 15, 2015 at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium.
The new jersey replica has been available for sale since July 17, 2015 at the Canterbury of New Zealand shops nationwide.
Commemorating the launch of the new official jersey, the customers who buy the replica are presented with the 2015 Rugby World Cup Sakura Legacy.*
*Sakura Legacy
Sakura (cherry blossoms) Legacy is an iron-on transfer imprinted with the Sakura emblem and the test match fixtures. You can personalize your replica jersey by ironing on the transfer for the test match you watched.
*Canterbury of New Zealand
Founded as a knit manufacturer in the New Zealand province of Canterbury in 1904, Canterbury defined the original form of rugby jersey. Having since won the support and adoration of rugby players worldwide, Canterbury has supplied uniforms to the world’s top teams, including Japan’s national rugby team as well as the teams of the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Our sale is limited to Japan only.