With more than 140 years of history, the Leicester Tigers colours are recognised across the world. Now we’re asking supporters to vote for their favourite from a shortlist of jerseys in the Leicester Tigers Kit Cup.
Sixteen shirts will go head-to-head in the opening round followed by quarter final, semi-final and a final fixture, all to be played out across Leicester Tigers Twitter channel.
Formed in 1880, Leicester didn’t actually wear green, white and red stripes until 1891, and it was in 1895 when the club opted for the horizontal stripes recognised today.
Over the next week, we’ll be pitting a selection of home and change shirts against each other and putting it to the public to have the final say.
Fans will have 24 hours to vote.
July 1 | Round of 16 *Fixtures live from….
1880-84 Home v 1991-93 Change (KO | July 1 6.00pm)
The first-ever Leicester jersey was unrecognisable to the modern day version, featuring a black design and crest of a ‘wyvern’ – a mythical winged serpentine – atop a cinquefoil flower crest positioned in the centre of the shirt.
It lines up against the change colours of the 1991-93 seasons, a traditional cotton jersey bearing the Tigers Logo and reversing the green, white and red colours.
1887-89 Home v 2004-05 Change (KO | July 1 6.30pm)
The home side here harking back to when the club was still trying to find its colours, the team wore chocolate and 'French grey' in '87, followed by claret and grey in '89 inspired by links with Leicestershire’s Tigers regiment.
A striking all-white design from the Cotton Trader era and another take on the traditional green, white and red colours. Not an easy one for the kitman to clean however.
1891-95 Home v 2003-05 Home (KO | July 1 7.00pm)
The first time the club wore its now famous colours – albeit vertically rather than horizontally. You may have seen a number of die-hard fans wearing similarly-designed jackets over the years.
The first all-Home fixture is matched by another unconventional design, bearing no stripes at all. Famous for seeing out the playing days of the likes of Martin Johnson and Neil Back.
1906-8 Home v 2012-13 Home (KO | July 1 7.30pm)
A staple of the Crumbie era sees another change away from the traditional colours at a time where the club became in invitational team. The Tigers logo still stands proudly on the chest.
One of the club’s most popular shirt designs, the 2012-13 shirt fits more the modern design of tight-fitting and synthetic materials over the cotton options of former years. The Tiger DNA flows from the shirts to the socks.
2014-15 Change v 1999-01 Home (KO | July 2 6.00pm)
A stark change kit kicked off the 2014-15 season, as Tigers opted for a full orange strip. Featuring a detailed take on the colours of an actual tiger, the inspiration was taken from Leicester’s early years around 1885's orange and brown kit, where a Leicester Daily Post journalist used referenced ‘Tigers’ for the first time.
Its opponent is one of the club’s most famous kits stamped into the history of the sport as Tigers became the English game’s first-ever treble champions winning the league, cup and European title. It also saw in a new millennium bearing the club’s first-ever dark green jersey replacing the bright green of former years.
1996-97 Change v 2020-21 Home (KO | July 2 6.30pm)
Now re-imagined in the Captains Collection range, the 1996 ‘Goldstar’ shirt saw another change in the club’s away colours, the dark blue complimenting the single green, white and red stripes and topped off with a white collar.
New stripes donned the Tigers as they re-emerged during the 2020-21 campaign, boasting a fresh take on the club’s traditional design. The journey continues under the Steve Borthwick regime.
2001-02 Home v 2008-10 Change (KO | July 2 7.00pm)
Another European-winning jersey sees a different take on the stripes with a bold red chest followed by a similar shoulder and sleeve pattern. Tigers became the first team to win consecutive European titles during this era.
A contrasting Change kit stands in its way in the opening round of fixtures, as a pale shade of blue provides a new look for the Tigers on the road. Following the modern fitted design, the Tigers logo also donned these new colours.
2020-21 Change v 1996-97 Home (KO | July 2 7.30pm)
A head turner. Conversation starter. Rainbow or indeed Marmite, the 2020/21 change kit got the rugby community talking as almost every colour made its way on to the sleeves of the diversity-inspired kit reflecting the vibrancy of the city.
An old favourite completes the line-up as the ‘Goldstar’ years showcase a fixture that puts modern versus the traditional. Classic, simple and unmistakably Leicester Tigers.
July 5/6 | Quarter Final (KO | 5.00pm and 6.00pm)
July 7 | Semi-Final (KO | 6.00pm an 7.00pm)
July 9 | Final (KO | 7.00pm)
Head over to the club’s Twitter page now to vote on the first match from 6.00pm this evening.
