The Crusaders have announced their 2020 uniforms will feature the team's new logo after initial plans suggested it would not be fully incorporated until 2021.
The Canterbury Super Rugby franchise announced the logo will sit in the centre of both their home and away jerseys for their 25th season as they continue to work towards evolving their identity following the Christchurch mosque attacks.
The Crusaders opted to keep their name but changed their logo from a medieval knight and sword to a tohu after conducting a brand review that concluded last November.
The review came as a result of questions being raised over the appropriateness of the team branding in the wake of the March 15 Christchurch mosque shootings, with the Crusaders name a potential reference to the religious wars between Muslims and Christians in the Middle Ages.
Colin Mansbridge said there was plenty of support within the Muslim community after the March 15 terrorist attack. (Source: Other)
The Crusaders initially planned to play this season without both the medieval knight and the tohu but Crusaders CEO Colin Mansbridge said the addition of their new logo was important for players, represented provincial unions and fans.
“We’re on a journey to bring our evolved brand to life, and there is no better way to do that than through the power of the Crusaders jersey and what it means to our club," Mansbridge said.
A key reason the new logo wasn't going to be introduced until next year was due to the supporters range not being able to feature it, due to how late in the overall production timeline the brand review concluded.
The Crusaders open their season against the Waratahs this Saturday at 7.30pm in Nelson.
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