Rugger.info tells the story of the creation, modernization and change of rugby from the beginning to the present day.
Like our favorite sport, the history of uniforms goes back to Rugby School. In 1839, the local team decided to acquire their own equipment in order to distinguish their own from rivals. The first set of rugby ammunition was quite comical: flannel trousers, a shirt and a hat (cap) on the head. In symbiosis, it was more like an old woman’s outfit.
Uniforms and special endurance did not differ. In the 19th century, the game was much more rigid, if not cruel. As Scottish historian Sandy Thorburn writes: “After a few matches, the clothes were beyond repair and had to be thrown away.”
Moreover, since rugby was a sport of the aristocracy, many players wore a bow tie or tie on their shirt. Oh, it’s a pity that this tradition has not survived to this day, the pillars, straightening the tie before entering the fray, would be irresistible. Although there were better options. In 1891, an Irish rugby player by the name of Walkington managed to play with a monocle, although history is silent about whether he managed to save his eye, or at least an optical device.
If no joke, the first form was very impractical, not only because of the fragility. In addition to individual accessories, the players wore so many clothes that it was not difficult to make grips. This largely determines the absence of big scores in matches, since the defenders had a serious advantage. The shirts themselves were made of wool, and they were only good in cold weather, and in the summer the game turned into a living hell.
Stuart Farmer, rugby historian: “It was terribly stuffy in warm weather in shirts, but even worse when it rained. Clothes get wet and you run around with a pile of wet wool on you. At the beginning of the 20th century, the woolen shirt was replaced by a cotton shirt, the obligatory attribute of which was a contrasting collar. By and large, until 1950, the design of the form was the same, only the colors differed. This continued until the advent of the All Blacks. The New Zealand shirt was very tight to the body, and this increased the chances of rugby players to get away from the capture.
The newest history of rugby equipment began in 1999, when Adidas, together with the firm Kenrtbury, invented a completely new technology for creating rugby.
Synthetic fabric made of breathable material very quickly gained popularity and reached the global level of consumption. Over the next 14 years, the production of equipment has become a real art.
The modern form features thicker fabric on the shoulders to soften contact, tiny, rubberized and barely visible bubbles on the chest to allow the body to breathe. At the TOP level, thermostatic systems with sweat removal technology have been introduced. The shape has become streamlined, not restricting the player and allowing him to easily move away from grips. The current rugby is a fusion of light, innovative pleasing to the eye and seemingly simple design that pleases the eye. But do not forget the ancient wisdom of the pioneers of the game – not rugby paints the player, but the player rugby.
Source: rugger.info