Pack up your troubles in your old kit bag and.....
By Rabble Rouser
May 17 2002
.....try to decipher just whose name will be on the right hand side of the Saracens' shirts next season. Rabble Rouser, back from extended leave in the broom cupbouard, looks at the the runners and riders in the great Sarries shirt handicap chase.
In alphabetical order:
Adidas - Suppliers to Bath Rugby, USA, New Zealand, the NZ Super 12 sides and the British and Irish Lions.
This lot caused apoplexy down at Barf a the starte of the season when they showed off their latest offering which looked exactly like the Sarries home shirt, except the shoulders were blue rather than red. They have Quality on their side. My often-worn Lions shirt is still looking good and the (ghastly) iron-on ntl: logo is also holding up well. The question to ask is whether the Dassler boys want to expand further into club rugby or concentrate on the more lucrative soccer market.
ODDS 25-1
Canterbury NZ - Suppliers to Saracens, London Wasps, Northampton Saints, Swansea, Scotland, Ireland, the Irish provinces, Austraila, Australian Super 12 sides and every man and his dog, it seems.
Will they or won't they? Can the outfit that took over the much-loved Cotton Oxford brand in 1998 keep their job? The omens don't look good. Initial supply problems, perception of poor quality and supply to a raft of lower-league teams mean that the Kiwi concern has not been popular with Sarries fans and, rumour has it, the management. Suddenly, the exclisivity wanes when you see Ystradgynlais seconds running out with the CCC logo on their right breasts! But as they're the incumbents, they may yet pull it off and you'll have to pull it on!
ODDS 10-1
Cotton Traders - Suppliers to Leicester Tigers, Sale Sharks, Newport, Cambridge University, London Welsh and Gloucester.
I've not heard any complaints from fans of the clubs lited above about the quality of gear supplied by Steve 'n' Fran. There have been some rumbles from Welford Road regulars about the corporate make-over this year which saw Tigers lose their famous stripes. Their England stuff of a few years ago I thought was somewhat ropey, but their current kit seems OK.
ODDS 25-1
FILA - Suppliers to Cardiff
Does anyone else think that Kairdiff's current shirts look like someone drove over the sleeves with a tractor? Let's take a variation on that theme and imagine a black Sarries shirt with red tyre marks. Then again, let's not. Next!
ODDS 500-1
GILBERT - Suppliers to Neath, Bridgend, Newcastle Falcons
Makers of probably the most "interesting" shirt in christendom, the Neath converted cycling short, they were actually responsible enough to give neighbours Bridgend a "proper" one which didn't look like it had been sprayed on. Could you really see, say, Luke Harbut in a shirt akin to those of the Welsh All-Blacks? Me neither. Besides, I'd have to order a replica in a size 84 so I'd rather not recommend them. A bit too early to judge quality, perhaps, as Newcastle and Bridgend have only this year used them.
ODDS - 100-1
KooGa - Suppliers to NEC Harlequins, London Irish, Llanelli
It looks like Kooga have been palmed off with the EU ecru dye lake handed down from Reebok in the late 90s. The Irish change shirts are just hideous and I for one wouldn't buy a Sarries change one in the same colour. "Alles les subtle shades of beige" doesn't have the same ring to it, IMHO. They've turned Irish from green into what can only be described as a cheap black and how dare they give Quins BLACK shorts and collars? Quality is good, aesthetics less so.
ODDS 100-1
Kukri - Suppliers to Leeds Tykes.
"Who?" I hear you ask. Well, they tied up with the Tykes this year even though their sister club the Rhinos have Asics manufacturing their shirts. A brand-new concern who are in the same part of the market as Samurai and their ilk. Will Sarries risk the same "Who?" question by getting this fledgling outfitter on board? I think not.
ODDS - 500-1
Nike - Suppliers to England, France, South Africa, Stade Toulousain.
Obviously very choosy about who wears their swoosh as there aren't too many on their list of rugby teams supplied. Infamous for their legal battle with Cotton Traders over the intellectual rights of a flower, fercrhissake, the already jealously-guarded Sarries brand will be even more sacred if these kings of all things corporate come in. Having said that, I like the Toulouse shirt and it would double-up perfectly for Sarries. I've not heard any complaints from England fans or Bokkes about their shirts falling apart, so their quality should be good too.
ODDS 25-1
Reebok - Suppliers to Wales
Everyone's favourites if you believe the talk (some of it from me, admittedly). The absolutely gorgeous Wales change shirt should be the base of the new Sarries home jersey, IMHO. Rumours of a red change strip and a third white outfit for Europe. My Taff mates reckon the quality is A1 and they're very fond of the peripheral stuff like training tops, polos and so on. Could well be this lot.
ODDS - 5-1
SAMURAI - Suppliers to Ebbw Vale
Samurai, despite the name, are actually a British company whose claim to fane last year was manufacturing Rotherham's gear. Not a big player and given Sarries priceless brand and parnter-relations (didn't they used to be called sponsors?)this fish I think will be too small to fry.
ODDS 250-1
Finally, may I say how much I have enjoyed this, easily the most sad piece of writing I have done so far, and must say that the odds listed above are merely for indicative purposes. I'm not running a book, OK?