The flame of the Dragon and a ‘colour blind friendly’ choice on the new kits designed by Macron for the Welsh Rugby National teams

The dragon that dominates the Welsh flag is the protagonist of the new Home and Alternate kits made by Macron the Welsh Rugby National teams will wear for international matches this coming season. The partnership has been going on since 2021 and this year, like all the garments Macron produces for the clubs and federations it partners with, the new Welsh Rugby kits will be made from Eco Fabric, a polyester material 100% derived from recycled post-consumer plastic. Traditional colours and the Welsh flag characterise the new game kits the Welsh team will wear next season, starting with the first test between Wales Women and Scotland Women on September 6th at Hive Stadium in Edinburgh, for the first WXV2 warm-up match. The male team will instead make its official debut in the Autumn Nation Series against Fiji on November 10^th at Cardiff Principality Stadium.

The new Welsh Rugby Union Home shirt is in traditional Welsh red with a white crew neck decorated by two thin lines, one red and one gold. This same combination of colours appears also on the sleeve cuffs. The sleeves and sides of the shirt are characterised by tone-on-tone, dye-sub graphics, creating an optical effect and representing the dragon’s flame, the traditional symbol of Wales. This exclusive graphic motif also forms the background of the inside backneck label, which features the Welsh Rugby Union logo along with that of Macron and the words ‘Designed in Bologna’, certifying that the garment is conceived, designed and developed at the Macron Campus. The Macron Hero is embroidered in white on the right of the chest, and the woven patch with the WRU crest is applied on the left. A design of the Welsh dragon is embossed at the bottom of the shirt’s back. For the first time in WRU’s history, men’s and women’s kits are be completed with different shorts and socks combinations: the men’s kit has white shorts with red-tipped gold drawstrings and side bands plus red socks with a white top band and a horizontal gold stripe, while the women’s has red shorts plus white socks. The switch to red shorts is a unique change of kit designed to address period anxiety and was done in consultation with the squad.

The Alternate jersey is white and has a green crew neckband with a red line. The return of a white alternate jersey – which last featured in 2004/2005 – ensures alignment with rugby’s efforts to avoid kit clashes that limit the viewing experience for supporters with colour vision deficiency. The sleeve cuffs are also white, with two fine red and green lines on the edge. Broad red bands bordered by narrower diagonal green bands run down the sides of the shirt, delimiting the central section. The inside neck label is customised as the Home shirt’s. The bottom of the shirt back likewise has an embossed dragon, which has been part of the official flag of Wales since 1959. The Macron Hero is embroidered in red on the chest alongside the Welsh Rugby Union badge. The Alternate kit is completed with green shorts with red and white details on the sides and red-tipped white drawstrings. The socks come in two variants: white with three broad, horizontal red bands and white with two red/green stripes, one just below the top and the other above the ankle. The Macron Hero appears above the ankle on both variants, in red in the first case and in white in the second. The Alternate kit will get its first outing when worn by the women in their first WXV2 warm up match away against Scotland on Friday 6 September. It will be seen again on Saturday 23rd November, this time on the men when they will face South Africa in the third and final match of the Autum Nations Series.

Both shirts have a Slim Fit and are made from Eco Armevo, with Eco Boditex and Eco Strong Mesh inserts for reduced weight, excellent breathability and maximum strength. Along with Replica versions and the exclusive range of teamwear and merchandise made by Macron for the Welsh Rugby Union, the new kits can be purchased from the section of the macron.com website dedicated to the Welsh Rugby XV.