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Two Rugby Shirts That Can Play Any Position
When researching for our book, The Rebel’s Wardrobe, there were a few pieces that, after getting acquainted with their history, I felt I needed to add to my collection. The rugby was definitely one of them.
Worn defiantly and stylishly by a long list of rugged rebels, the rugby shirt has proven over and over again that it can play in any position. From the roughest to the most-polished of looks, it always fits right in, and it’s a perfect fit for nearly any occasion.
Key to its appeal is rugby’s split personality. The game was first played in England’s upper-crust boarding schools. In 1823, William Webb Ellis, a sixteen-year-old student at Rugby School picked up a football and charged for the goal with it in his arms.
The game was enjoyed by the pupils and spread like wildfire, first to neighbouring schools and then to the rest of the country and the colonies.
It’s a gentleman’s game, played with respect for the rules and sportsmanship but, at the same time, it is a violent and bloody affair from end to end. Unpadded players slam into each other at breakneck speed. It’s civilized carnage, gentlemanly warfare.
The rugby shirt, with its characteristic contrasting hoops, helped distinguish rugby players from football players, who tended to wear vertical stripes. The white collar is a throwback to when the sport was played in white, collared shirts and trousers (opposing players would wear either red or blue knit caps to help spectators tell them apart).
Drawn to the rugby shirt by its association with stylish rebels like Oliver Reed and Mick Jagger, I dove into the wide world of rugby shirts.
I didn’t want a drawer full of them, so I narrowed my search down until I had two that I felt represented the best of what is out there: Heimat’s Raglan Rugby and Barbarian’s 4-Inch Rugby.
We’ll look at both shirts and their contrasting features in more detail below. Between the two of them, you should be able to find the one that is a perfect fit for your style and lifestyle.
Heimat Raglan Rugby
I got a sneak peak of Heimat’s Raglan Rugby the last time I was in Berlin. Part of their impressive made-in-Portugal collection, the shirt made a deep impression.
The good people at Heimat sent me one to review, and it was definitely worth waiting for.
Soft yet sturdy, the 11.25 oz. shirt feels as good as it looks, and it looks incredible—available in six different colourways, I chose the muted Trail Blue/Seashell combination.
As the name suggests, the shirt’s trademark feature is its raglan sleeve construction. Rather than attaching at the shoulder, the sleeve extends to the neck, creating a more rounded silhouette that is a far better match for the contours of the human body.
Equally impressive are the cuffs. I’ve learned from experience with Heimat that the brand does knit cuffs like nobody else, and that’s on full display here. I like to wear my knitwear pushed up my forearms, and, with one good tug, the cuffs are locked in position.
Unlike every other rugby I’ve handled, the body of the Heimat Raglan Rugby is made of panels that have been sewn together. This gives the shirt a ton of structure without sacrificing any comfort.
The placket and gusset reinforcements are made from a sturdy and creamy herringbone twill that is a great match for the off-white panels on the rest of the shirt.
Finally, the collar has been reinforced with parallel rows of stitching on the reverse side. It stands to attention nicely when turned up, and the extra stitching will keep it standing tall, even after multiple washes.
It’s the ideal rugby for anybody who wants to dip their toe into rugby style without getting a bloody nose.
There are ventilating eyelets in the armpits, but the buttons are corozo rather than rubber, so this shirt is better suited to the park or pub than the rugby pitch.
Still, if you do play in it, you’ll likely be the best-looking player on the field.
Barbarian 4-Inch Rugby
The first rugby shirt I added to my collection, my Barbarian, came to me after a long and exhaustive search for an authentic and well-made rugby shirt without conspicuous branding—a deal-breaker for just about everything I wear.
Barbarian’s name came up frequently when I was exploring my options. The Canadian knitwear brand has a global reputation built on the back of their rugby jerseys, and the shirt more than lived up to the brand’s reputation.
Knit, cut, and sewn in Kitchener, Ontario, from American cotton, the 12 oz. double jersey knit has the kind of heft I’ve learned to expect from top-shelf Japanese and German knitwear.
They offer lighter versions, but this weight is perfect for me—and pairs brilliantly with my heavy selvedge.
The shirt is available in an impossibly broad range of colour combinations. There are dozens of stock versions of the shirt, but they specialise in team orders (minimum of 24), allowing teams to customise every imaginable detail.
I went with a maroon and white combination, which matches perfectly with our cabins in the mountains—nearly every barn and cabin in Norway is painted this same shade of deep red. I get complimented on the shirt nearly every time I wear it.
Two details mark the shirt as an authentic rugby jersey. First is the rubber buttons, which flex rather than press when in the scrum. Next is the extra layer of fabric sewn into the armpits, which absorbs sweat.
If it’s authenticity you’re after, the Barbarian jersey isn’t just an option. It’s the option.
This is the jersey of choice for countless rugby players all over the world. I’m not about to argue with them, and you shouldn’t either.
Rugby and Selvedge: A Perfect Pairing
Both of the rugby shirts I’ve discussed above combine effortlessly with heavy selvedge. To start your hunt for the perfect pair of well-made jeans to wear with your rugby shirt, check out our Selvedge Masterlist.
Understand the Details That Matter
I’m Thomas, founder of Denimhunters. I write emails that go deeper into denim—how jeans are made, why details matter, and how to make better choices without the noise.
The post Try, Try Again: A Pair of Pitch-Perfect Rugby Shirts appeared first on Denimhunters.
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