After a great response to last season’s review, we’re delighted to bring you the 2017/18 Aviva Premiership Kit Review!
Clubs have revealed their 2018 kits earlier this season, as kit suppliers look to provide fans with official merchandise in time for the first round of fixtures. This means we can provide a comprehensive report on each and every Premiership rugby club.
We look at each club’s home and away outfit, drawing direct comparisons to last years efforts (which you can read here). We also take a look at switches between suppliers and how that’s impacted the overall design.
Agree or disagree with us? Get involved by commenting/sharing on Facebook & Twitter!
Just a sidenote before we crack on; please remember that this is the subjective view of our rugby-mad marketing team, and not a reflection on Scimitar’s opinion of the companies mentioned!
Let’s get things started, shall we?
Bath Rugby Kit 17/18 – Canterbury
While the 2017/18 home shirt is a carbon copy of last year’s jersey (with the famous blue, black and white combination), Bath have gone for something a little different with the away jersey. For the new season, the alternate shirt is all-white with a v-neck collar. It certainly goes away from the marl grey pattern used last year.
Bath fans will be hoping it’s all-white on the night, too! #SorryNotSorry.
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – We can’t big this one up too much. It’s the same as last year’s, effectively.
Away Shirt Rating: 8/10 – We really like it – it’s simple and effective, in a few words.
Photo credit: Bath Rugby
Exeter Rugby Kit 17/18 – Samurai
All hail the champions of England! We said they’d be looking to go one better, and go one better they did. We were unable to provide a report on the kit last year, other than by describing the Cup shirt. This year, we’ve got our hands on the home shirt early. It’s a great design, but at £60, we’d expect much more from a replica shirt.
Just like last year, we’re not sure what the away shirt is going to look like. We do have the pink European shirt though, which you can see below. It stands out and uses an interesting tribal pattern, but it’s £60.
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – Classic design, seemingly coming in at an expensive price.
Away Shirt Rating: X/10 – Yet to be confirmed.
Photo credit: Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester Rugby Kit 17/18 – XBlades
Hoops are in, and XBlades are making the most of it with the Gloucester kit. The design follows the style set by last year’s home jersey, with a few new features. Revamped sleeves and a new collar spice things up a little, along with the introduction of the F3 sponsor logo on the front. A nice (if safe) effort by the team at XBlades.
Maybe this is the reason we think it’s a safe design; the away kit is a little disappointing. In essence, it’s a rather plain jersey in a dark grey & green print. Definitely doesn’t live up to the classy standards of the home jersey.
Home Shirt Rating: 8/10 – The home kit builds on from last year’s good entry.
Away Shirt Rating: 6/10 – Not what we were expecting. Contrasting stripes may have worked better.
Photo credit: Gloucester Rugby
Harlequins Rugby Kit 17/18 – Adidas
After celebrating the centenary year last year, the Quins return to using their iconic badge. Colours are vibrant and, as the only representatives in the Premiership using Adidas, it’s a smart jersey if nothing spectacular.
On the away front, the jersey sports a red camouflage print, utilising the Adidas ‘Defend your Territory’ theme that seems to be common for AW2017. It’s certainly different, but I think we’ll leave it at that. Looks more like a tour shirt than an away jersey.
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – Typical Quins on the design. We like how the jersey colours blend seamlessly in to the shorts.
Away Shirt Rating: 5/10 – Looks more like a tour kit, and colours aren’t all that different to the home jersey.
Photo credit: Harlequins
Leicester Tigers Rugby Kit 17/18 – Kukri
Kukri take the K-reigns from Kooga this season, and have had a really good go at it. Leicester are Kukri’s only Premiership outfit this year, and as you can see from the away kit below, they’ve given it a good go.
The kit looks good across both colours, and Kukri are really opening up the options by offering the home jersey in an elite, replica, classic & womens fit. The away jersey, on the other hand, is available in elite, replica & womens cuts.
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – A good all-rounder. A solid design with what an extensive range of cuts and fits.
Away Shirt Rating: 7/10 – Pictured below. Nice jersey with an interesting, unusual collar.
Photo credit: Leicester Tigers
London Irish Rugby Kit 17/18 – XBlades
Welcome back, London Irish! XBlades take the manufacturing reigns from O’Neills from the 2017/18 season, and haev created the below range.
A stark contrast from their other Premiership design (Gloucester’s classy red hoops), XBlades have made a solid home jersey for the London Irish contingent. The pictured blue top below is actually a training t-shirt – the away jersey is a rather classy, sky blue number with a better looking neck than the home jersey.
Home Shirt Rating: 6/10 – Standard and steady, outdone this year by the sky blue away kit.
Away Shirt Rating: 7/10 – Nice design, nice colour. Only kit in the Premiership where the away is better than the home.
Photo credit: London Irish
Newcastle Rugby Kit 17/18 – ISC
Rugby league specialists ISC come in to make their first Aviva Premiership rugby kit this year, and the home jersey is certainly a good place to start.
Simple with a nice contrast on the shoulders, the Newcastle Falcons will seemingly be playing this year without a principle sponsor. How strange that this can make a jersey feel so minimalistic and classy!
The away shirt, although not yet available on the official club shop, is rumoured to be a grey & green striped number, with many media outlets split on the style and colours. We’ll wait until it’s officially confirmed before commenting!
Home Shirt Rating: 9/10 – A real class act with a simplistic, minimalistic design.
Away Shirt Rating: X/10 – Let’s wait and see when the official away jersey is confirmed!
Photo credit: Newcastle Falcons
Northampton Saints Rugby Kit 17/18 – Macron
This year sees a change in the primary sponsor, with Travis Perkins instead deciding to promote subsidiary company Toolstation. Other than that, there’s not much change here. Macron’s only Premiership kit is nice, building on from last year’s entry. £60 for a replica still feels on the expensive side for me, with cheaper alternatives out there this season.
The away jersey is, quite frankly, the opposite on the design front. It’s bang-on trend with the selection of lime green as a colour, yet we just don’t think it works contrasting with the yellow. Again, another one for you to decide!
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – A classic entry from Macron, but prices remain steep compared to other manufacturers.
Away Shirt Rating: 6/10 – Conflicting colours may stand out, but for all the wrong reasons.
Photo credit: Northampton Saints
Sale Sharks Rugby Kit 17/18 – Samurai
Samurai have really taken the plunge with the home jersey design this year, adding a pattern to the design that really makes it stand out. We like it! Better still it’s available in an elite, replica & womens cut.
What about the away jersey? Good question! We’re awaiting designs of the away shirt, and will update as and when we can.
Home Shirt Rating: 8/10 – A nice jersey with interesting, detailed patterns!
Away Shirt Rating: X/10 – Awaiting release.
Photo credit: Sale Sharks
Saracens Rugby Kit 17/18 – BLK
Heading into their second season as kit manufacturers, BLK have come up with a smart design for the Saracens home shirt. A series of contrasting, fading red lines adorns the front of the shirt whilst a single red line is features on the back. A nice jersey which develops on last year’s efforts.
The away jersey, however, isn’t quite as classy. It features the same design as the home jersey, although the colour palette here is a little dubious (and highly subjective, I expect). Odd, fluorescent lime green stripes fade to the right on the white jersey, and for me, it just doesn’t really work.
Home Shirt Rating: 7/10 – A nice jersey that plays on the famous black & red of the Saracens.
Away Shirt Rating: 6/10 – Same design, different colours! Doesn’t quite work for us, but it may well for you.
Photo credit: Saracens
Wasps Rugby Kit 17/18 – Under Armour
It’s a special year for Wasps. Celebrating 150 years, the kit this year is a celebration to the rich heritage of the team. Not only that, they’ve developed the best home jersey amongst the lot.
A classic design with a stark white collar and oversized badge, the designs oozes class and is a must this year for Wasps fans. The away is just as nice, with the white and black colours reversed.
Home Shirt Rating: 10/10 – The best available this year. Congratulations, Under Armour!
Away Shirt Rating: 9/10 – Simply a colour reversal; perfect for those who want the home jersey in white!
Photo credit: Wasps Rugby
Worcester Warriors Rugby Kit 17/18 – Under Armour
Heading in to the second year of their kit deal, Under Armour’s latest home kit for the Warriors isn’t overly different from the kit last year.
Instead, let’s focus on the away shirt, which goes away from a reversal of the colours to bring in a brand new red jersey (the first since the 09/10 season, in fact), which looks smart against the contrast of the blue & yellow.
Finally, there’s a third jersey for the first time, with a kit designed especially for European Challenge Cup & Anglo-Welsh Cup games.
Home Shirt Rating: 6/10 – Without studying, the kit looks overtly similar to last season’s home jersey.
Away Shirt Rating: 7/10 – This re-introduction of red for the Worcester Warriors looks good!
Photo credit: Worcester Warriors
