New shirts from Leeds and Wales

A recent splurge in spending has provided me with a few more shirts to wear and the chance to demonstrate some of my sporting loyalties.

I like traditional cotton rugby shirts  but the Liberty ones I bought twenty years ago are dead or dying.

The first new addition is a Leeds Carnegie (Rugby Union) home shirt.

I normally buy away shirts on the grounds that I no longer live in Leeds but that is only available with short sleeves so I went for the home shirt instead.

The away shirt, which is mostly white like the magnificent Leeds United, is still on my wish list and may appear here once Spring comes.

This shirt should get its first official outing at London Welsh v Leeds Carnegie in Richmond on 25 February.

I already own a Welsh rugby shirt but a recent display of patriotism at Welsh Water in Cardiff, where everybody (and I mean everybody) wore a rugby shirt to work ahead of a World Cup game, showed just how old mine is.

It is so old that it does not even have a sponsor's name on it. I like it a lot though and am wearing it now as this is a Six Nations weekend.

The new shirt is much flashier that the old simply-red one with its tailored cut and white features.

It is also made of modern materials (i.e. some sort of plastic) so it is not as warm as the others which should make it a Spring/Autumn shirt but Wales are playing Ireland tomorrow so I'll give it a go. Who cares about a cold snap?

Oddly, I will also be wearing this shirt on 25 February as England are playing Wales at Twickenham after the Leeds Carnegie game.

The first game I'll see at the ground and the second in a pub in Richmond. In both cases I'll be wearing the away shirt so it could be fun!

The final shirt is the best.

I am a fan of Leeds Rhinos (Rugby League) and have wanted a shirt for some time but the blue and yellow colours of the home shirt do not suite me.

So I've bought the new away shirt instead.

This comes in three variants, authentic (i.e what the players wear), replica (like the authentic but not as tight fitting) and cotton.

I've gone for the cotton one for the comfort and warmth.

It will get worn before then but it's official debut should be at London Harlequins v Leeds Rhinos on 30 June.

All three shirts are very welcome additions to my wardrobe and make something of a change from the usual rock band black t-shirts.