Sophie Hird Is Making Rugby Cool Again With New Creative Collab

As a gamer, let me tell you that unlike some modern games like pickleball or pilates, rugby has a deep and rich history that’s older than most sports out there. While other fitness trends have managed to draw a devoted female fanbase due to their chic and stylish vibe, rugby hasn’t always been able to shake off its traditional image as a male-dominated sport.

In 2025, Asahi Super Dry is planning to make some exciting changes by sponsoring the Women’s Rugby World Cup. The Japanese beer brand aims to highlight and support lesser-known female players, community teams, and fan bases through its unique “Rugby Like Never Before” initiative. Extending this movement off the field, Asahi Super Dry partners with TopMob for a special creative partnership with designer Sophie Hird.

After making a name for herself in revitalizing second-hand clothing into bold ensembles, Hird has become a key player in the fashion world’s growing interest in sportswear. Now, TopMob extends an invitation to Hird to apply her skills to reinterpret conventional rugby jerseys for a fresh take on them. Collaborating with Black Girls Ruck, a team from east London, she is investigating ways to reinvent these uniform pieces into stylish expressions that embody a new generation of rugby players.

To initiate her work, the designer convenes with founder Anne Onwusiri and colleague Ehi Edevbalo-Ehizode for a more insightful grasp of their experiences as Black women in sports. As Onwusiri articulates, while rugby can be warm and inviting in numerous aspects, it harbors a “lad-ish” atmosphere that often makes one feel excluded. The genesis of Black Girls Ruck was to honor Blackness and initiate dialogue about race within the realm of sports. To me, concentrating on identity and community is paramount and deeply significant.

Hird designs two jerseys using tales from their rugby experiences, showcasing several prominent elements through her craft. One of these is short-sleeved, while the other has long sleeves; on both, she meticulously integrates strips of old yellow and red fabric in her unique appliqué method. Simultaneously, she adds patches with the team’s emblem, a striking double collar, and thoughtful phrases like “Black Joy” to create an engaging atmosphere around the central Asahi Super Dry logo.

Hird expressed that working with rugby shirts was a new experience for her, yet she found it exhilarating. To provide some insight into her creative process, particularly about the collars which she finds most intriguing, she explained, ‘Inspired by hip-hop’s flair, I aimed to blend the signature look of rugby shirts with a modern twist. Instead of simply popping the collar like in polo shirts, I opted for a double-collared design to preserve the iconic rugby essence. The versatility of this design is what truly excites me – worn one up, one down, both up, or both down?’

Slipping on these shirts for the first time at the local pub Clapton Hart, I can’t help but feel exhilarated about sporting them off-field this summer with my go-to shorts and kicks. Just like me, Onwusiri feels the same way: ‘It’s great to be able to wear something that openly showcases who we are – a team of Black women in sports.’ After all, why should players in one of the toughest games shy away from expressing their unique identities?

Don’t forget to carefully examine the personalized rugby shirts designed by Sophie Hird, showcased in the lookbook displayed earlier.

Discover more details about Asahi Super Dry’s role in the Women’s Rugby World Cup by visiting their specific website or Instagram page right away!

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