‘It’s a joke’: Cardiff, Glasgow get blues in colour clash

LONDON: A case of too many blue shirts may have caused some red faces among European rugby chiefs following an extraordinary kit clash during Cardiff’s Champions Cup match against Glasgow on Sunday.

Both teams lined up in blue strips, with visitors Glasgow’s marginally the lighter.

But they were similar enough to cause confusion to players, particularly when the sun was beating down in the first half at Cardiff’s Arms Park ground.

Cardiff’s Gareth Anscombe, his mood unlikely to have been improved by Glasgow’s 29-12 pool win, labelled the farcical situation a “disgrace” as he slammed tournament organisers European Professional Cup Rugby (EPCR).

“I don’t know who the guy’s job is to decide that, but he has got to face consequences for it. It was an out-andout disgrace,” said Anscombe.

“I have never come across that in my eight years of playing rugby. Who is making those decisions?...It’s a joke.

“We told the referee and the touch judges early on. They told us it was down to the home team to change jerseys, but I don’t think that’s fair,” the Wales international added.

However, that would be to go against a longstanding tradition, dating back to rugby union’s amateur era, that it is the home side who change into their second kit if there is a clash of colours.

Under tournament rules, teams must submit two kit designs to EPCR before the start of the competition and a fortnight before each fixture officials tell them which strip they will be wearing. - AFP