Interesting article today in the BBC about the colour of rugby shirts and the experience of viewers who may be colour blind.

According to one fan, the Irish and Welsh national kits are particularly difficult to distinguish for some people. As you can see from the simulation below, it is particularly challenging for protanopia (where the long-wavelength cone class is missing and the viewer is a dichromat).

Apparently, World Rugby has proposed new laws to help people affected by Colour Vision Deficiency (CVD), meaning teams may have to change kit from 2027 in the event of a colour clash.

However, it would not be difficult for one team to make their kit a little darker and one a little lighter to allow more people to enjoy the game and follow the action more easily.

In the image below, on the left you can see the original colours and on the right you can see the simulated colours for a protanope.

The top rows shows the colours that will be used in the match this weekend. The bottom rows show slightly shifted reds and greens that are more inclusive on the left, and their simulated appearance on the right.