By Jim Kayes
Far from being green with envy, the proposed new Highlanders jersey has Laurie Mains seeing red.
“It's a betrayal of the unions really, and I think it's a decision that's been made people that aren't Southern rugby men,” he says.
Mains sees no need to change the strip.
“I don't think the rugby community here will be very impressed about it at all. They love Southland, they love Otago and they love North Otago and they want the Highlanders to reflect the three provinces,” he says.
Josh Kronfeld believes the switch to green won't slide with most fans.
“Those colours have been around for quite a few years and a lot of people have worn them proudly and to check that in the mix I think that will upset a few people,” he says.
With ticket sales to tonight's match low, the new jersey could be worn in next week's final home game as a gimmick to boost sales, though the switch is meant to coincide with the move to Dunedin's new stadium next year.
“It's a whole change, it's a whole different look, it means revenue generated but at the same time there's history that's gone with that jersey now and to just throw the colours away completely, to green, I guess there's a lot of shades,” Kronfeld says.
There are, so maybe it’ll use the green of Manawatu or South Africa. Whatever the shade, getting fans to like a green Highlanders side will likely prove difficult.
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