By: Natasha Archary

The new Springbok kit is receiving mixed reactions from South Africans online, with some unbothered by the turquoise and white print, and others just not feeling it.
While the Boks will still don the classic green and gold colours during the Rugby World Cup 2023, is seems this will only be the case when facing opponents who will not be sporting clashing colours.
World Rugby have passed new guidelines for the Rugby WC to encourage certain kit combinations in an effort to avoid “kit clashes”, with teams who have similar colours on.
This is to make it easier for colour blind people to still follow along without getting confused by jerseys in a solid colour.
In some instances, kits may be easy to differentiate from a distance by fans due to different coloured shorts, but as players and match officials need to be able to instantly see differences in rugby shirt colours, a difference in the colour of shorts will not be sufficient.
For some matches, the decision was made for teams to also change sock colours to avoid potential confusion by match officials.
Will this mean that the South African national side will never be able to face the All Blacks in their green and gold kit ever again?
It’s understood that this will be decided by the coin toss.
September 06, was Colour Blind Awareness Day, and the new guidelines regarding team kits in rugby were published in 2021 in collaboration with Colour Blind Awareness (CBA), a non-profit organisation that raises awareness of the needs of colour blind people in the community.
Since then, World Rugby has been taking steps to implement its own guidance across its various activities and events.
But, South Africans are not open to the change, and have been vocal about their distaste with the new kit.
Comments on the Bok Instagram page were laced with disapproval over the poor design and horrible colour choice.
“They look like peppermints!”
“Please not the Listerine kit!”
“What in the spearmint Aquafresh is this kit?”
I ❤️the new @Springboks jersey. It’s a once off.We shud embrace it. Doesnt impress all fans,but it’s a change, & change is good.What we shud focus on- the power of this team, its humility, leadership,togetherness,diversity & the happiness they bring 2 so many! #rugbyworldcup2023 pic.twitter.com/AJDxt3mLGP
— Julian de la Hunt (@Julesdlh) September 12, 2023
Nooo man… #Springboks #springbokjersey #Bokke I am not happy ke the new jersey ke bona diSmoothies le Checkers what what. pic.twitter.com/k65mDHekWE
— Mangoedi-Kinder (@KinderMod) September 11, 2023
Like it or not, the “peppermint” Springbok kit saw the boys beat Scotland 18 – 3 in the opening game on Sunday, 10 September.



