New Zealand-based sportswear brand Canterbury has reached a six-year agreement to replace Puma as the kit supplier to the Irish Rugby Football Union.
The multi-million euro deal is effective from September 1 and runs until 2020, taking in two Rugby World Cups. Canterbury will outfit all Ireland’s teams from the full international side to age group, junior and women’s teams.
The agreement means Ireland will still wear Puma kit during the forthcoming Six Nations tournament before the Canterbury IRFU line is rolled out this autumn, with the national team wearing its new kit for the first time when it takes on South Africa in Dublin on November 8.
Ireland is the sixth rugby nation to be added to Canterbury’s portfolio, with the company also manufacturing kits for England, Spain, Russia, Japan, USA and Ireland. It previously partnered the IRFU between 2000 and 2009.