If it ain't broke ...

There's nothing wrong with the jersey worn by the Highlanders, the Otago/Southland based Super Rugby franchise. So why is the Highlanders board so determined to press ahead to change thwe team's colours?

We can't answer that. The Otago Daily Times reports:

The Highlanders' new playing strip is not an insult to past teams, as the side does not have a tradition, the Highlanders boss says.

Highlanders general manager Roger Clark said the new strip was a part of the change throughout the franchise which had to happen as it was both "broke and broken" at the end of last season.

The Highlanders announced yesterday they would be wearing a new playing strip on Friday night in their last game at Carisbrook, and would make a permanent change to the strip next year. They would wear their usual playing strip for the two final games of the year, both away from home.

The new strip will not be seen by the public until the side runs out on Friday night.

Although Mr Clark declined to say what colour the strip is, the Otago Daily Times believes it is a light green with flashes of dark blue on the jersey.

Mr Clark said to attract fans and continue the impetus of change, research had shown a new jersey would be an appropriate move.

"We needed to change everything and that includes the jersey. We are really conscious we are going into a new stadium next year and we want to help showcase it to the world," he said.

"We want to signal that we are changing right across the board.

There are only three words to describe this decision; dumb, dumb and dumber. The Highlanders have as much of a "tradition" as any of the New Zealand Super Rugby franchises having almost completed their sixteenth season. The team consists predominantly of Otago and Southland players; both those unions have long histories, and one quality associated with both is loyalty. The Highlanders are coached by former Otago stalwart Jamie Joseph who bleeds blue and gold. Sheesh, even Speight's beer comes in blue and gold cans!

The Highlanders board runs the risk of alienating an already-dwindling fan base in the deep south. That would be as huge shame, as the Highlanders team has shown this year that it can foor it with anyone in Super Rugby, and a measure of pride has been restored in the blue, gold and maroon jersey.

The old saying goes thus - If it ain't broke, don't fix it. We hope that the Highlanders board has a rethink, and we'd like them to ponder the song that follows: