Fakes are rife in the world of rugby shirts, especially those of the larger teams. Thankfully, Tier 2 rugby shirts are far less likely to be faked; there is just not enough money in them! However, this is untrue for one shirt in particular. After Japan's whirlwind success in their Rugby World Cup 2019 pool stage, their shirt attracted a lot of attention in sales. Combined with its unique design and the fact that Japan retains its shirt designs for the whole four-year World Cup cycle, it is consequently a profitable shirt to fake. Of course, some people don't mind fakes; they are very cheap! However, here is a quick guide for those who want the genuine article.
General Tips:
- Lower quality stitchwork
- Incorrect product codes
- Misaligned crests and logos
These features can be found among fake shirts from all sports and teams. But here is one quick trick to spot fakes of Japan's shirt specifically.
Focus your attention on the area surrounding the crest. Firstly, the crest itself should be made of rubber. This is true of all Japan shirts from 2019 onwards, and all exceptions are fakes. Fakes will either be embroidered or printed. Secondly, the area above the crest is generally printed differently on fakes, as can be seen in the picture below (genuine shirt on the left, fake on the right). The diamond pattern on a genuine shirt extends to the top of the red strip, while on fakes, it often finishes halfway up the strip and also extends further to the left.
Now an issue arises as fakes are sometimes sold using stock photos, which often don't show these flaws. This leads to the final piece of advice...
If it seems too good to be true in terms of price, then it probably is. While it is obvious that certain well-known Chinese websites are selling fakes, many Western-based sites also resell or dropship the same fakes. This practice can be spotted in the price, which is always extremely low.
As the 2019 shirt design has remained the same over the whole four-year World Cup cycle, it is easy to spot fakes due to their small differences. However, one detail on the genuine 2019 model shirt has changed. The original 2019 shirt's collar had a thinner and starchier feeling, but around 2021, the collar became noticeably thicker and softer.
Please contact us if you are unsure if you are buying a fake; we would be glad to assist you.
