With the Rugby World Cup just over a week away now, excitement levels are building across the globe in anticipation of the world’s best going head to head. We can expect scintillating tries, big tackles and huge drama in Japan but there is also another element to World Cups that gains cult status every four years. That being the kit designs rolled out by each of the competing countries with tons of beauties but also plenty of shockers having been released across the years. Here, we take a look at some of the finest and most iconic designs to have graced the world stage in the past and one to look out for this time round. ITALY 2019 Conor O’Shea’s Italy head to Japan looking to make their way out of the pool stage for the first time in their history and they will look to achieve this while wearing a striking, Leonardo da Vinci-inspired kit. The Macron-manufactured home and away designs feature an embossed Vitruvian Man, while the launch campaign uses Da Vinci’s quote, ‘Details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail.’ The home strip doubles up on traditional azure blue, with a blue playing shirt and shorts alongside a dark, polo-style collar which is easy on the eye. Italy will hope this inspires them to success against pool opponents South Africa, Namibia, Canada and defending champions New Zealand. SCOTLAND 2015 Scotland were heartbroken as they narrowly missed out on making only their second ever World Cup semi-final four years ago, as Australia controversially beat them 35-34, but their kit for the tournament left no such disappointment. The reception to their old-school navy blue jersey was one of universal acclaim after some fear among fans when Macron took over kit rights in 2013. The understated blue front was juxtaposed with an old-school pop-up collar as well as, most strikingly, tartan patterning on the sides of and inside the shirt.
