PICTURES | Kit wars: Ireland ditch white for shades of navy and green for Bok clash

In Dublin

For the second time in consecutive home Tests against the Springboks, Ireland has again eschewed their nominally simple, but elegant white jersey with green trim for a rather convoluted navy and green jumper for their clash at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday.

With rugby being a funny sport in that the home team dons the away jersey in the event of a colour clash, Ireland has often worn a white strip when playing the Boks, who also share green (albeit in a darker shade) with Ireland.

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New Zealand, for example, wear their famous white away kit when they host France and Scotland, who wear blue and navy as home kits respectively.

The Springboks, since post-apartheid and professional era matches against Ireland resumed in 1998, have always worn their white strip at home against Ireland.

The 2022 Ireland alternate jersey! ??Worn together, worn bolder. Ready to take on the Springboks next weekend! #TeamOfUs | #MadeStronger

They did so again in 2004 and 2016 when they hosted the Irish, while wearing green when they played in Dublin.

The only time the Boks played in their away strip at the Aviva Stadium was in 2010 when they beat Ireland 23-21.

They returned to their home kit for the 2012 Test that they won 16-12 and for the subsequent Test matches they lost at the ground in 2014 and 2017.

Ireland last wore white at home against the Springboks back in 2014 when they beat Heyneke Meyer's side 29-14.

15 Cheslin Kolbe, 14 Kurt-Lee Arendse, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Damian Willemse, 9 Jaden Hendrikse, 8 Jasper Wiese, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven