Vodacom Super Rugby
Bulls in blue for Durban trip
2012-07-04 11:19
Pretoria - Despite some confusion, the Bulls will be back in their traditional blue strip when they head to Durban for Friday night’s (kick-off at 19:10) showdown with the Sharks.
GALLERY: Sharks gear up for the Bulls According to the SuperSport website, there was some confusion at the team announcement on Tuesday, especially after coach Frans Ludeke said he believed being an away game, the team would use their away strip, but the Blue Bulls company moved quickly to confirm that it was actually the blue strip and not the controversial away pink strip that would be worn.
The Bulls have come under fire from both their fans and rugby supporters for allowing sponsors PUMA to change their traditional blue kit, and then ludicrously trying to sell it as a purple jersey when the overwhelming colour is bright pink.
The team first played in the bright pink strip at Newlands before their overseas tour, as they unveiled the strip against the Stormers and also used it for the return match at Loftus at the beginning of June, raising over R500 000 for Cansa in the process.
But their record in the strip isn’t great, losing four out of their six matches in the pink strip and whatever the team management have tried to sidestep the issue, it is hard to miss for both Bulls and other rugby fans alike.
No decision has yet been taken about the away strip, which will probably first be debated at the end of the season when the annual review is done, but it has been a commercial success with reports that the pink jersey was outselling the blue jersey five to one at one point.
Still, now that the Bulls are in the business end of the competition, failing a clash of jerseys in a playoff game, they are likely to stick to the blue jersey until their campaign ends this year.