New Gallagher Chiefs jersey designs inspired by region, whānau and heritage

The 2022/23 Gallagher Chiefs Home and Away jerseys were launched in time for Christmas and their designs are tied to the Chiefs’ region, Whānau and Maori heritage.

While the design of the home jersey, “Ngā hihi o te rā – The Rays of the Sun”, was inspired by the sun (Tamanuiterā), the design of the “He Piringa Pāua” away jersey was inspired by the Maori axiom “Ka haere te pāua ki te toka, he piringa pāua – The pāua will go to the rock and cling fiercely to it.”

Chiefs Rugby Club General Manager Michael Collins is very excited about the launch of the new jerseys and says hard work has gone into the design and production.

“The connection to our region of chiefs, the Whānau and Maori heritage are important aspects of our jersey design … we are happy to now be able to share the final products with our members, sponsors, fans and players and hope that ‘they will wear them with pride. “

The home jersey features rays of the sun (ngā hihi o te rā) in the upper half of the design to accentuate the colors of the Gallagher Chiefs house and to represent energy and power. The lower half of the design depicts kōwhaiwhai (ornate swirls) which represent the flow of waterways throughout the Waikato region, connecting the Whānau chiefs and their followers.

The away jersey uses the vibrant color of the pāua shell to represent loyalty and allegiance, showing that even when the team is playing away, it will always come back just as the pāua returns to the rock if dislodged. Like the home jersey, flowing kōwhaiwhai (ornate swirls) represent connecting waterways that will always bring the team home.

The jerseys were developed in collaboration with Adidas, cultural advisor NZR Māori Luke Crawford and designer Dave Burke.

The jerseys are available at all Adidas stores and major sporting goods retailers.

Meanwhile, the Chiefs Rugby Club announced that the name of its women’s team is now Waitomo Chiefs Manawa, derived from two Maori words, mana and wāhine.

The internal process of developing the new team identity has focused on developing a name that connects the people, places, past and present of the Chiefs Rugby Club.

Waitomo Chiefs Manawa head coach Allan Bunting said: “It was important that our name came from the history of the Chiefs, but also gave us an opportunity to create our own identity, something to do our own and to make it our own. be really special to move forward. “

He says the team did indeed come up with something that was “unique for the ladies”.

“The name Manawa has a lot of meaning, and it will be sacred enough for the team. It translates to the heart, mainly the heart, and for us it is important to be connected through the heart.”

The Chiefs Rugby Club has a long-standing association with Te Ao Māori and in particular the inclusion of a deeper relationship and understanding of the concepts and practice of Te Ao Māori.

The Waitomo Chiefs Manawa 2022 jersey was also unveiled. At the heart of the inaugural design of the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa jersey is a hammerhead shark (mangōpare) exemplifying determination and tenacity. When the pattern is viewed from another angle, it represents the shape of the manawa (beating heart).

Te Raranga Harakeke – Linen weaving connects with the more feminine art of weaving and the accompanying proverb, “TÅ«ngia te ururoa, kia tupu whakaritorito te tupu o te harakeke” – “Burn the bloom so that the shoots of flax can germinate, ”talks about removing all obstacles to ensure success.

The linen weave sits behind the flowing design of the kōwhaiwhai pattern which represents the connecting waterways flowing through the chiefs’ contributory regions.

Chiefs Rugby Club CEO Michael Collins said it was a proud and historic moment.

“We know the narrative will continue to grow and our Mana Wāhine will install pride in the name. We can’t wait to see the Waitomo Chiefs Manawa team connect with their new identity and bring the name to life. The creation of our new team is a special event, not only in the history of our club, but also in the history of women’s rugby in New Zealand. “