Canterbury of New Zealand Hunts for the Nation's UGLY Sporting Family

The Canterbury of New Zealand UGLY jersey holds a special place in the heart of kiwis; the mismatched, colourful and unashamedly ‘loud’ long sleeved rugby jersey, originally a training jersey here, has become a favourite with rugby fans around the world.

With global sales surging, now Canterbury of New Zealand is bringing UGLY back home, with new styles to match all codes and personalities including short sleeved polo’s, hoodies, beanies, socks, and other accessories right through to the infamous long sleeve rugby shirt - all which proudly incorporate aspects of the UGLY style.

Marketing and Sponsorship Manager for Canterbury of New Zealand, Colin Gibson says “Everyone knows the UGLY. It’s a style that reminds us of days past, of how things used to be in New Zealand; the joy of the simple things in life, like being outdoors, kicking a ball round or mucking about in the backyard with mates.”

The UGLY history began in the early 1970s; Canterbury of New Zealand was supplying rugby kit to so many teams around the world that its factories were left with a problem: what should they do with the bits and pieces of fabric that were used to make the many different jerseys of these teams? The solution was genius: they just stitched them together and marketed them as ‘practice’ jerseys.

With the possibility of no two jerseys being exactly the same, these ‘practice’ jerseys became hugely popular with players and fans alike and before long became known as the UGLY jersey.

Now to celebrate UGLY, Canterbury of New Zealand is on the hunt for New Zealand’s UGLY Family. To enter, contestants are encouraged to take a family snap at sporting games that incorporate an UGLY element in the photo (no nose picking please) and upload it to The Original UGLIES Facebook page.

The most ‘likes’ received for an image will determine the winner who will receive an UGLY Family Upgrade including UGLY polo shirts, singlets, hoodie, caps and more. Canterbury of New Zealand has also created its own UGLY family, complete with mum, dad, kids and even Sid the family dog! See their profiles and further details on the competition on The Original UGLIES Facebook page.

“Its about being proud to celebrate UGLY, to showcase how the UGLY brand has extended and evolved into a full range of active wear for all sporting codes and lifestyles – after all, everyone loves a little bit of UGLY!”