Wales unveil new away kit – and a fresh sponsor
WALES have unveiled the new “away” kit that will be worn for the first time against Georgia on Saturday.colour with subtle red touches The new strip, which will be worn for the next two seasons, is described as a ‘deep anthracite’ on the sleeves, shorts and socks. And it will feature a new sponsor on the front, with Subaru taking pride of place on the the jersey that comes out weeks after the new home kit was revealed. The Under Armour jersey will cost fans £90 for the authentic version, while replica adult jerseys are priced at £65 and youth shirts at £50. The Welsh Rugby Union announced a new four year partnership, which will see “pick-up professionals” Isuzu feature on the red home jersey until 2021, last summer, but plans to switch branding for the away kit have been kept under wraps until now. The switch to Subaru is possible because the WRU’s partnership is with the automotive importer IM Group and so incorporates both the Isuzu and Subaru brands. Subaru’s striking blue, starred logo is perhaps more prominent on the iconic national jersey than any that has come before. The change strip will be worn for the next two seasons by Wales senior men’s and women’s teams as part of the biggest shirt sponsorship deal in the WRU’s history, but it makes its debut appearance against Georgia at Principality Stadium this Saturday. “We took a new and innovative approach to our latest shirt sponsorship negotiations and looked at ways to maximise value for our partners and increase exposure for our teams on a global scale,” said WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips. “To associate with two hugely significant Japanese brands in this way as we build towards the Rugby World Cup in 2019 in Japan is a major coup for Welsh rugby and will pay dividends as it further improves the global appeal of our national game.” Paul Tunnicliffe, Managing Director of Isuzu and Subaru in the UK said: “Through our Isuzu brand we have an excellent relationship with the WRU. The pick-up brand will always be the lead focus for this project, but when the WRU came to us with a proposal that allowed us to include Subaru, we immediately agreed.”The new away kit will be available for preorder now via www.wru.wales and can be purchased in stores from Friday November 17.