Parma, its region and the colours that represent it. This is the profound meaning behind the new jersey designed by Macron, which will be worn by Zebre Rugby Club – a franchise owned by the Italian Rugby Federation – in the EPCR Challenge Cup. Yellow and blue, the colours that symbolise the capital of Emilia, feature in the city’s coat of arms, and the new Cup jersey – which has now been officially unveiled – is intended as a tribute to the city and the Parma region, which have hosted and supported Zebre Rugby since 2012: a region with which the club has strong ties.

The “Parma – Italian Capital of Culture 2020+21” logo itself is clearly depicted on the right-hand side of the collar, alongside the Emilia-Romagna Region logo on the left, which supports the XV del Nord Ovest in its prestigious international matches on rugby pitches across Europe, the United Kingdom and South Africa.

The new “Coppa” match kit is royal blue with a yellow V-neck and tricolour detailing around the hem. The tricolour also features on the sleeve hems. The back of the neck is personalised with the club logo on a multicoloured zebra-striped background, echoing the design used on the home and away shirts. This design is also repeated in the yellow-and-blue stripes on the sides. On the chest, on the right in white, is the Macron Hero, the Italian brand’s logo; on the left, over the heart, is the Zebre Rugby Club logo; and in the centre is the F.I.R. crest above the slogan “MEN AGAINST VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN / MEN AGAINST VIOLENCE ON WOMEN”, created in collaboration with Maschi Che Si Immischiano, a Parma-based association committed to gender equality.

The words ‘GRAZIE LUCA” are printed in white on the outer back of the collar, in memory of Luca Sisti, the club’s video analyst who died in 2015 following a road accident. At the bottom of the back of the shirt, above the Zebre Family logo, the Latin phrase ‘AUT FACERE SCRIBENDA’ appears in white, AUT SCRIBERE LEGENDA, which means that the Zebre players, competing in the Challenge Cup as well as in the URC – United Rugby Championship, have both the duty and the privilege to ‘do things worthy of being written about and told’. The kit is completed by royal blue shorts with white drawstrings, yellow-and-blue zebra-striped bands on the sides and the Italian tricolour on the outer side of the thigh. The socks are royal blue with a yellow top edge and a tricolour band just below it.

The new jersey for Challenge Cup matches features a Body fit and is made specifically from Armevo fabric with Boditex inserts – materials which, as well as being lightweight and breathable, ensure maximum durability. This latest match kit, along with the home and away kits and the exclusive range of clothing and merchandise that Macron produces for Zebre Rugby Club, is available in the club’s dedicated section on the macron.com website and at selected Macron Stores, including the one in Parma and at the Sergio Lanfranchi Stadium in Parma.