International sport is very often a home and away team each competing for national glory. Be it Rugby Union, Football or One day Cricket, the team kit represents that sides pride in their jersey. As France and New Zealand get set to play each other in Paris, the French rugby team kit is once again a topic of interest.
Be it fashion or strategic positioning, France have covered a spectrum of team colours over their 110 year as a national union. Coincidentally, playing New Zealand on that very first day in 1906. Over time the results between the two sides and shirt colours worn over recent years has evolved to whereby World Rugby fans may wholeheartedly agree ‘you never know which France team will turn up’.
Not an insult, as they are a precocious, adventurous and mesmerizing side at their best. Like their dress standards though, it can change all too often–more than once in a single year—that the opposition can seem bewildered and unsure as to ‘who will run out onto the field’. Achieving great feats one test, and deplorable play in another.
That is the case this weekend, the final test for the All Blacks and France. Each side may feel at odds to being able to get-up for one more game. One more struggle where the only reward for France maybe in World Rugby seeding’s for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
50 ‘shades’ of Blue
Over that history, the team has evolved alongside French culture and society. Function and fashion both influenced the French rugby team kit, as much as their play and reputation. Winning as often as losing, with many changes in fortunes over the years [50 shades is an analogy only–not an exact count of shirt changes]
Originally their team shirt was white with two rings; one red and one blue (see below). It had an elegance and simplicity about it, very much a symbol of the athletic ability of the players. The sport was relatively new as well, as were organised sports since the re-introduction of the modern Olympic Games in 1896.
That movement embraced the new game of rugby union too, where France assumed a leading role. Winning the gold medal in 1900 and then two silver medals in the 1920’s before the sport was removed from the games [to be reintroduced in 2016]. The teams fortunes were mixed in the formative years.
The European side soon began it’s rich history of matches against the Home Nations: cross-Channel rivals England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland. Playing in the Five Nations, they established a reputation for flair and high-skill. Matching the leading nations, over the years the French rugby team kit changed too.
To match the three stripes of the national flag, the team assumed the more familiar blue shirt (below) white shorts and red socks. The nickname les tricolores soon stuck. A challenging side to play at home, traveling sides like the All Blacks would make a beeline for France. The team is known for a hard-nosed scrum, and a backline which expresses itself.
French reputation grows
Over time, a reputation grew that the French team were a tough opponent. Growing in strength post-World War II, they accounted for many International sides. Playing in their tricolor team kit, only playing in the alternate white strip against sides like Scotland, New Zealand and on occasion Wales (below) and Italy.
France had a brief flirtation with red team shirts in 1958 and 1959 against Australia and Scotland, winning both games. The change was made for reasons only known the the Fédération Française de Rugby (FFR). Not retaining that kit, they reverted back to the widely recognized blue shirt soon after.
The sides Gaelic flair was evident in the 1970’s, a period of wide success at home and overseas. In that time, it brought Five Nations ‘Grand Slam’ titles and memorable victories overseas–several against an esteemed foe in the Southern Hemisphere.
Visits to New Zealand would often bring despair, but on a number of notable occasions, the traveling French team have ‘surprised’ the hosts. Their record is one of the better against the dominant All Blacks–Ireland have only just posted that sides very first victory ever–since the 1970’s the French have been feared and respected by NZ rugby.
Rich history of matches with New Zealand
They have played New Zealand on 56 occasions, with a winning record of 12 victories, one draw and 43 losses (a 21.43% win ratio of 1/5 games). While not good, they may claim more of an historical degree of victories, especially at critical times between the two teams.
1999 and 2007 are two standout dates. Both for the grand nature of the wins at Rugby World Cups and how they both dashed All Blacks hopes of glory. And one of those matches is significant, as an unperceived conflict in team shirts was raised for the first time–the European side having had introduced an all blue combination over a period. It appeared so that the French rugby team kit clashed with the all black of New Zealand in 2007 (below).
It was an all blue kit, dark navy blue rather than the royal blue usually associated with France. Not a shirt-and-pant combination seen in competition before. A discussion on the possible clash with the All Blacks meant that the away team (NZ) had to wear an alternative grey shirt in Cardiff. The row built up a higher intensity for this quarter final match–ultimately won by France 20–18–a game which has created it’s own mythology. It reinforced the fact that France can beat ‘any team on the day’.
Winning ‘out of the Blue’
In 1979, they won on Bastille Day for the first time at Eden Park, Auckland and of course the most famous win was in 1994. During a successful tour of Canada and New Zealand, they met the challenge of New Zealand twice–winning both tests, with the final act on Eden Park being claimed as the ‘try from the ends of the Earth’.
In 2009 they were victorious again in Dunedin, wearing an all white team shirt. It was again the team kit selected by France for the 2011 Rugby World Cup final in Auckland. The seemingly frequent changing of shirt colours and designs in the last 15 years has built in a mystery over ‘who will run out onto the park’.
New Zealand are not innocent from this change–they too signed a multi-million dollar contract with Adidas. That saw the first changes to the all black team shirt for many decades. The white collar was replaced by a ‘pure black’ combination, and then it reverted back in 2011. Today, the team wear all black again, with material variants of the famous shirt leading all sellers in rugby shirt sales worldwide.
Of all the shades of blue, of all the ups and downs of French/NZ rugby relations, the constant is a bilateral respect. The two powerful rugby sides hold a deep respect which was cemented through New Zealand soldiers laying down their lives on the World War I fields of France. It has formed a bond that no scoreline will ever change. It saw players today leave a wreath at the memorial for the ‘Unknown Soldier’ in Paris.
A strong bond, no matter the shade of Blue
Be it Cardiff, Marseilles or Auckland, they locations of many dramatic and well remembered victories by France that have instilled belief in les tricolores. That winning can occur without notice, if you have heart. For the rugby world, those anomaly may happen at a time, and when your team least expect it. They may collect a Grand Slam one year, but be beaten by Italy or Argentina the next.
As in any sport, the more determined team can defeat anyone–even the current World Champions. On Saturday, that belief will be tested yet again, and NZ rugby final test frustrations could play into the hosts hands. Expect another French rugby team kit to be fielded, with the All Blacks playing in a new alternate white strip with black shoulders (bound to upset the purists).
It will be another memorable game no matter the dress code, even if the question on most rugby fans minds is always going to be ‘what shade of French team will run out onto the park today?’.
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FRANCE v NEW ZEALAND
Saturday November 26. Stade de France, Paris
“Main photo credit”
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