Hurricanes front-rower Neemia Tialata has apparently designed a clothing range for the Hurricanes and will be launching it on a catwalk in Manners Mall at 12.30 today. Apparently Tamati Ellison, Cory Jane, Ma’a Nonu, Conrad Smith, Rodney So’oialo, and Piri Weepu will also be present [and I assume doing signings].

If you can't make it, they'll be sold at Hurricane Jeans and [as the WRFU press release told me] on the Hurricanes website - which actually directs you to the Champions of the World site. I wonder what Rebel Sport makes of the whole situation?

As the title suggests, I'm not a cricket fanatic. I watch it when I can, I keep up with the scores and commentary, but I'm not one of those 'live by the sword, die by the sword' types. While I was at a family dinner today we were watching the Australia/BLACKCAPS match and as I have done in the past, I got to thinking about random little things which could improve the game - from my point of view anyway. I've left the more drastic ones out, but I think these three are good ones and would be keen for thoughts on them

 1. As already linked, why not have advertising on the face of the bat? The most exposure of the player besides the pads. More visibilty = greater revenue potential from sponsors = greater ability to market the game at all levels = more players?

 2. Visors on the helmets. This came directly after watching Fulton squint at a Bracken delivery. I envisage visors used by batsmen and keepers on sunny days/under bright lights not too dissimilar to those in the NFL. These would simply be used as a visual aid, although maybe they'd have the added advantage of being able to hide your eyes from the opposition as they are used for in NFL. Would that be an advantage?

 3. Finally and perhaps most controversially: The third umpire. I think this shouldn't be used in the way it has been trialled. What I'd rather is that the third umpire can reserve the right to review a decision under his own time and the umpire on the field makes the original call. However, if the third umpire decides this call was wrong after thorough review and overturns the decision, the captain of the team can elect to bring that player back in to bat as a replacement for the number 10 batsman. But only in this batting spot, and it can only be one batsman who gets given the second life.

I've thrown up my artist's impression of numbers one and two. I'd just like to make it clear that following recent discussion on Hadyn's Public Address post, I don't want to appear as though I'm changing the game to suit my own misconceptions. Rather, I'm trying to seem intelligent and like I know a thing or two about cricket for once.

Discuss?

We get sent a lot of spam and because we're a sports site it tends to be sports-related spam. Usually it's an unsolicited email from a company in China or India selling crappy (knock-off) uniforms.

And then today one sent a picture of their product, which, in my opinion, was an incredibly bad business decision:

The Welsh Rugby Union is coming under fire from PETA for it's new uniform:

According to PETA (People for Ethical Treatment of Animals) each of the new yellow Welsh jerseys requires the plumage of up to forty dead canaries to produce their distinctive bright yellow hue. 

It took some time and the integration of two email systems that really didn't want to talk to each other but we finally have winners in our competition.

Considering the huge prizes we were giving away I was expecting more than three entries, but three is what we got.

In third place with a comendable effort at the Vatican is Sea Monkey Madness

In first equal (because I couldn't decide) are Richard Irvine and Richard Maxwell

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The judges liked Richard Irvine's subtle Office Space reference and Richard Maxwell's commitment to the photo.

All three entries will recieve prizes (because that only seems fair) so email us with your postal details.

A quick look back at the NRL final, then a detailed analysis of the Stade Francais rugby team strip, Daniel Braid defects to Australia, and Steve Tew's master plan is unveiled...

Download Episode 35

Subscribe to the Dropkicks Podcast (iTunes users click here).

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This is the Stade Francais brown alt-strip. This may be one of my favourite rugby jerseys of all time. If you could remove the advertising logos it would be perfect.

And if I may be candid for a moment: Fuck all of the homophobic douchebags commenting on the Stuff article!

UPDATE: Stade Francais (naturally) have a store, where you can purchase replicas of all of their jerseys.

Stade Français have a long history of interesting uniform designs. Yes, I think "interesting" is the right word.

Their latest uniform design has an Andy Warhol inspired front panel depicting 13th-century Parisienne heroine Blanche de Castille, the wife of Louis VIII. Many are claiming that this is the "worst kit ever".

The Guardian said:

Paris, the epicentre of the fashion world, with its coterie of revered designers and boulevards of stylish boutiques, is home to a
rugby team with little or no fashion sense.

Last season's light brown number, above left, with turquoise stripes and pink flowers was reminiscent of an Hawaiian shirt fashioned from some 1970s caravan curtains.

Another pink, green and blue effort, middle, blurred the line between sportswear and hippy chic with its tie-dyed blurred lines.

One of the commenters on Stuff said (the Stuff article is pretty much the same as the Guardian):

Truly, truly appalling. Still, it might have a flow on effect for their opposition in that no self-respecting red-blooded footy guy would be seen dead in it, which should make them easier to beat or at least more fun to tackle?

Luckily, (Dropkick-reader) Naly was there holding down the fort for uniform decency!

Stade Francais have had some shockers, but this is definately a step in the right direction and actually looks quite cool. I'd buy it if it were on sale here.

It's wayyyy better than the new Canterbury of New Zealand uniforms (especially the orange Perpignan one).

I actually agree with Naly and the large amount of commenters on the Guardian blog: it's alright.

I think that it could do without the faux-denim (which gives it that Canadian tuxdeo look) but from a distance you can't really see that detail. As for the front panel, well it's no worse than Harlequins and at least it isn't sporting a wallabra.

In fact I think it actually looked better than the awful lime-green uniforms their opponents were wearing in this video.

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Historically, though, this is far from the best uniform Stade Francais has worn. The club's main strip is:

Royal blue (of a fairly darker hue in the recent seasons) is the main colour, used for the jersey, while the shorts are red and the stockings white. The logo sports the club’s three colours, blue, white and red. The white letters S and F (the club’s initials) are painted on a red-blue shield. The twelve blue stars represent the twelve championship wins.

Then there is their famous pink away-jerseys (though in that pic they are wearing them at home) introduced in the 2005 season. Followed by the Kenzo-designed flower patterned jerseys (pink for away and dark blue for home, both had pink lillies with green numbers). I saw these when I was in Paris in August 2006 and thought they were the coolest rugby jerseys ever.

(I would be chastised by Marie if I didn't mention that SF didn't wear their famous pink away against Toulouse as it was deemed that the pink was too close to Toulouse's red).

In my opinion the only foot SF have put wrong is the disgusting tie-dye uniforms they wore recently against Toulon.

Personally, this is my favourite Stade Français uniform. Dark blue jersey, red collar, white shorts, dark blue socks.

Via Uniwatch:

Marco Andretti: It's Indy Car! Get it?

Danica Patrick: Yes, I got it the first hundred times too.