Springboks players in their iconic green and gold jerseys ahead of Saturday’s Test against Ireland in Dublin, keeping tradition alive while the hosts switch to white. Picture Credits: MrCapeTown
By Thulane Madalane
Dublin – The Springboks will wear their traditional green and gold kit when they face Ireland in Dublin on Saturday, while the hosts will switch to an alternate white strip.
The decision comes as a surprise to some supporters after South Africa wore white in two of their three November Tests — against France and Italy — despite no major colour clash. Those changes formed part of World Rugby’s colour-blind-inclusive guidelines, adopted by the Six Nations this year to make the game more accessible for an estimated 300 million colour-blind viewers worldwide, including former World Rugby chair Bill Beaumont.
In Dublin, however, the long-standing rugby tradition takes precedence: the home team changes when colours are deemed too similar. The custom dates back more than a century, when touring sides carried limited kit options and host unions were expected to adjust.
While many modern competitions, such as football leagues, now operate on an “away team changes” model, rugby’s older convention still influences parts of the international calendar. The Autumn Nations Series, which governs the November Tests in Europe, has incorporated elements of the colour-blind guidelines but has not fully adopted the Six Nations’ approach, where visiting teams changed kits earlier this year.
This weekend’s arrangement mirrors last year’s Test in South Africa, when the Boks hosted Ireland and wore white. It continues a reciprocal agreement between the unions and remains aligned with the sport’s evolving accessibility commitments.
At the 2023 Rugby World Cup, the Boks also switched to an all-white strip for their pool match against Ireland after their standard alternate jersey was deemed too close in shade to Ireland’s light green.
Saturday’s clash will therefore offer a rare visual twist: the Springboks in their iconic green and gold, and Ireland in white, blending modern inclusion guidelines with rugby’s enduring heritage.
