Canterbury has unveiled the new Ireland rugby kit for the 2026/27 season, placing the relationship between players, supporters and the wider rugby community at the heart of the launch.
The new jersey has been introduced as part of Canterbury’s global Made Tougher Together platform, with the campaign looking beyond the players who wear the shirt to the supporters, volunteers and club communities that underpin Irish Rugby.
This is the first time that Vodafone has appeared on the shirt front of both the Men’s and the Women’s shirts having been confirmed as primary partners of the Women’s team last month.
A 20-second campaign film focuses on the rituals surrounding an Ireland match day, drawing parallels between players preparing to take the field and supporters getting ready to cheer them on.
Traditional musician Cormac Begley provides the soundtrack as the two journeys converge.
“Made Tougher Together is about recognising that rugby is never just about the players on the pitch,” said Simon Rowe, Global SVP at Canterbury.
“In Ireland especially, there is such a strong connection between the team, the supporters and the wider rugby community, and we wanted this launch to celebrate that.”
The campaign represents another stage in Canterbury’s long-running relationship with the IRFU. The brand first supplied Ireland between 2000 and 2009 before returning as kit partner in 2014.
Padraig Power, Deputy CEO and Chief Commercial Officer of the IRFU, said the jersey represented “the supporters, clubs and communities across the country who are part of Irish rugby every week”.
Retail partner Intersport Elverys also has a prominent role in bringing the new range to supporters.
“Bringing these voices together has allowed us to showcase the journeys that connect everyone who pulls on the green jersey, whether they are on the field or in the stands,” said Philip Staunton, Buying Director at Intersport Elverys.
“We hope the 2026/27 kit becomes an iconic part of that journey.”
The new jersey will make its competitive debut when Ireland Women face the USA on Sunday, September 20.
The Ireland Men will first wear it against Argentina at the Aviva Stadium on Friday, November 6, as Andy Farrell’s side begins the next stage of the Nations Championship.
The Canterbury Ireland 2026/27 Home Kit goes on sale from 9 am today, Thursday, September 3, through Intersport Elverys and Canterbury.
The IRFU and Vodafone are full members of Sport for Business.
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Image Credit: Canterbury and Sportsfile.com / Brendan Moran
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