The Original Rugby Shirt

Notes

This is the original rugby jersey. Super heavyweight (400g / 14 oz.) white and red striped rugby jersey with satin-stitch embroidered skull and crossbones. Handmade in Europe. 100% cotton, knitted in the traditional 12 gauge style. Working button cuffs. Stunning material and craftsmanship. Feels incredible.

Details

Rugby collar; three-button placket. Working cuff buttons.

Size & Fit

More fitted than our dad rugbies and soccer shirts. We recommend sizing up for a looser fit.

Provenance

According to legend, the game of rugby originated at Rugby School in England in during a game of soccer (football) in 1823. The story goes that one of the boys, William Webb Ellis, caught the ball and simply ran with it in his arms to the opposing goal. The sport was institutionalized with a firm set of rules for the first time in 1845 under the auspices of the famous Thomas Arnold, then-headmaster of Rugby School, who believed that teamwork and rivalry were paramount. He also instituted the House system at Rugby, with "School House" and "Town" as the two main rugby sides (for boarders and day students) within the school. The School House jersey featured an embroidered skull and bones motif, perhaps in reference to the more violent nature of the school's particular brand of football. We've recreated the Rugby School House shirt with obsessive accuracy (ours is based on an 1860 jersey), down to the band collar, all white placket, and working cuff buttons. In collaboration with Sports D'Epoque.