A look at England rugby jerseys throughout the years, going back to 1987
England rugby kit is largely consistent in its appearance but year-to-year it can have some detailing changes. The consistency in England’s kit is not replicated in their performances with results less predictable in recent years.
The team have not won the men’s Rugby World Cup since 2003 and last got their hands on the men’s Six Nations silverware in 2020. Despite the dip in form, the team continue to produce world class players.
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Players like Ben Earl, Owen Farrell, Martin Johnson and Jonny Wilkinson have worn the jersey over the years. But which has been the best? Here are the England rugby kits ranked all the way back to 1987.
England rugby kits, ranked
2024
Introducing England Men’s 2024/25 home kit 🌹
Shop all the latest ranges now ⬇️
— England Rugby (@EnglandRugby) August 23, 2024
England announced their 2024/25 jersey in August. It features the usual simplistic white design with the red rose which optimises the team. However, there is also red, blue and white stripes on a navy blue panel on the end of the sleeves and on the side of the shirt.
The pattern also follows onto the shorts to link the kit together. If you would like to buy the shirt, click here.
Editor’s verdict: We see the bid to add something new to the shirt but it has not been 100% effective. 6/10.
England rugby shirt, home, 2024-25 | From £80
The new England rugby home shirt is now available to buy in men, women and kid cuts starting at £80 for adults and £64 by kits. The new jerseys come under the Umbro badge by made under license by Castore.
2023
Owen Farrell on the pitch (Getty Images)
England’s shirt for the 2023 Rugby World Cup is as simple as they could have possibly made it. Completely white apart from the RWC logo, the red rose and the Umbro logo.
This was the first England RWC shirt Umbro made with the company taking the Rugby Football Union contract from Canterbury in 2020. England finished with a third-place medal at the tournament.
Editor’s verdict: A crisp shirt with little detail but it works well. 8/10.
2019
Billy Vunipola in England kit (Getty Images)
The 2019 Rugby World Cup shirt for England is similar to the 2023 one but there are some detailing differences. There are red stripes at the bottom of the shirt and the collar is a pointed V.
The shirt is the final RWC one produced by Canterbury, who lost the RFU contract the following September. There last RWC hoorah saw England take the kit all the way to the final, only to lose to a dominant South Africa.
Editor’s verdict: A solid kit and the red stripes add a little something different. 8/10.
2017
2017 England rugby kit (Getty Images)
The 2017 kit on first glance looks similar to most England kits. Mainly white, the red rose on the left, the O2 sponsor. But the difference with this kit are the sleeve ends.
Reminiscent of earlier renditions of England shirts, it includes the colour blue. The end of the sleeve is a dark blue and it fades until the white of the shirt begins. A simple edit but a nice one.
Editor’s verdict: A nice twist to hark back to the past without changing the current design too much. 7/10.
2015
Chris Robshaw with a ball in his hand (Getty Images)
England’s kit in 2015 had a white V stripe detail across the chest. It is the only stand out detail on an otherwise white shirt with the usual aspects to an England shirt.
The kit was a special one as it was worn by the team at their home Rugby World Cup. Special turned into torment though as England became the first host nation at a men’s RWC to be knocked out in the group stage.
Editor’s verdict: The detail seems unneeded and distracts from a kit formula that works. 5/10.
2012
Toby Flood carrying the ball (Getty Images)
The purple away kit outsold all that had come before it when it was first introduced in 2009. So much so they kept it running and this rendition in 2012 had a swirl pattern in the main part of the shirt.
There was no collar and the writing of the maker and sponsor was in gold. The socks and shorts also matched to bring the entire ensemble together. A striking look.
Editor’s verdict: A popular one with fans and a popular one with us. 8/10.
2011
Jonny Wilkinson kicking the ball (Getty Images)
England rugby kit looks better when it is worn by icons and Jonny Wilkinson played his final Rugby World Cup in the 2011 kit. It was the last to be made by Nike with Canterbury taking over in 2012.
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It was a white shirt with white shorts, no different detailing to make it stand out. England’s 2011 RWC performance was the same, bowing out in the quarter-final stage after losing to France.
Editor’s verdict: A traditional kit for England and as the saying goes, if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. 8.10.
2007
Josh Lewsey, Lewis Moody and Nick Easter singing the anthem (Getty Images)
This kit is the most bold England shirt and shorts ever to be seen. The 2007 Rugby World Cup kit has a big red stripe across the front of the shirt and it continued into the shorts.
It is quite a statement, compared to the white shirts with minimal detail fans were used to. Maybe Nike had thought the defending champions needed a striking look. The team went all the way to the final in 2007 but lost to South Africa.
Editor’s verdict: The red stripe really does not work for us, what were they thinking? 3/10.
2003
Ben Cohen reaching with the ball (Getty Images)
The Rugby World Cup winning jersey. The shirt worn by the first northern hemisphere team to win the RWC. Memories can alter a view of design and this one may do just that.
Related: Find out when England rugby are playing next
Red stripes come in at the side and are also present on the shoulders. The red rose looks slightly faded with the design Nike chose. It was also England’s first RWC shirt to have a tight fit and to not feature a collar.
Editor’s verdict: It might not be the best in terms of slick design but what it now stands for will forever remain iconic. 9/10.
1999
Neil Back running with the ball (Getty Images)
England’s 1999 Rugby World Cup kit was baggy. That is the first word that comes to mind when you see it. The sleeves in particular are oversized. There is a collar with a red stripe on the right hand side.
Aside from those details, the kit is traditionally white and similar to what had come before.
Editor’s verdict: A classic 1990s fit but not the best to play rugby in. 6/10.
1995
Jon Callard about to kick the ball (Getty Images)
The colours on this jersey are more reflective of the Union Jack than they are the St George’s cross. The blue is heavily used with the red on the sleeves which throws off the traditional shirt.
If you look at it quickly you may ever mistake it for an away French jersey. The choice is questionable but similar to the RWC kit in 1991, as are the long sleeves. The only difference in 1991 is the stripes of blue were thinner.
Editor’s verdict: Unsure what they were going for with this kit, elements work but overall does not land. 4/10.
1987
Wales v England in the 1987 RWC (Getty Images)
The 1987 England rugby kit was an interesting one. In the picture above you can see one player with short sleeves and another wearing a long sleeve. Not completely uniform across the squad.
The rest of the shirt is largely what would be expected from and England kit aside from the sleeves. There is no logo from a shirt maker and so it is even more simplistic with the white design.
Editor’s verdict: The sleeve situation is a confusing one but the rest of the shirt works. 7/10.