Custom Rugby Jerseys for Vets, Social and Masters Sides: A Club Playbook

Published October 7, 2026. Last updated October 7, 2026.

Vets, social and masters sides get the best custom rugby jerseys by choosing a forgiving fit, a fabric that survives occasional washing, and a design that ties back to the club without copying the first XV. Customized Rugby Jerseys starts at a minimum of 12, sends a free mockup within 24 hours and delivers in about 2 weeks.

Why do vets and social rugby sides need their own custom rugby jerseys?

Vets and social sides need their own custom rugby jerseys because they rarely fit into the match kit the first XV wears. The playing squad changes every week, the bodies are different, and the side often plays fixtures, festivals and tours that sit outside the league calendar. A separate jersey gives the side an identity of its own while still showing the club crest.

There is also a practical reason. When a social side borrows first-team jerseys, the kit gets stretched, lost or left in a kit bag after a festival, and the club ends up short before a league match. Ordering a dedicated set keeps the match kit for match day and lets the vets wear something they are happy to be photographed in.

• Players keep the jersey, so nobody chases kit returns after a fixture.
• The side can carry its own sponsor, often a member’s business.
• Reorders for new joiners follow the same approved design.

Which fit is best for a masters or veterans rugby team?

Most masters and veterans rugby teams are better served by a relaxed fit than by a tight player fit. A relaxed cut sits comfortably on a wider range of builds, is easier to pull on over strapping and does not advertise the extra pounds a few seasons bring. Players who still play hard can be offered the player fit in the same design.

Customized Rugby Jerseys builds both shapes, so one order can mix them. A common approach is to order the bulk of the squad in the relaxed training and supporter cut and a smaller block of player-fit match jerseys for the front row and the regular starters.

Should a vets side choose a cotton-weave or sublimated rugby jersey?

A vets side should choose a traditional cotton-weave rugby jersey if the look and the after-match photo matter most, and a sublimated jersey if the side plays often and wants a shirt that dries quickly. Both are available from Customized Rugby Jerseys, and the choice usually comes down to how much rugby the side actually plays.

The traditional cotton-weave jersey suits old-school hoops, a woven collar feel and a heavier hand that many former players remember. It doubles as a jersey for the clubhouse and the annual dinner. The sublimated club kit suits sides that play a regular fixture list, because the design is dyed into the fabric and every color, stripe and sponsor mark is printed in one pass with no extra effort for complex artwork.

If the side cannot agree, look at the fixture list. A handful of festival and charity matches points toward cotton weave. A full season of masters fixtures points toward sublimation.

How do you design a social side jersey that still belongs to the club?

A social side jersey belongs to the club when it keeps the crest and the club colors but changes something the first XV never wears. The easiest changes are a reversed colorway, a different hoop pattern, a contrasting collar or a heritage version of an older club design. Each keeps the side recognizable without being mistaken for the match kit.

Many vets sides take the chance to look backward. A jersey based on the club’s founding-era colors, or one that marks an anniversary, gives older players something they want to wear and gives the club a story to tell. Customized Rugby Jerseys can redraw an old crest from a photo or a scan, and the free mockup within 24 hours shows how it reads before anything is printed.

Elements worth considering

• A sleeve badge naming the side, such as Vets, Masters or Social XV.
• A small founding-year mark inside the collar or on the hem.
• Nicknames on the back instead of surnames.
• A dedicated sponsor slot for a member’s business.

Can every player have a nickname instead of a surname on the back?

Yes, every player can have a nickname instead of a surname on the back of a custom rugby jersey, and on vets and social sides this is one of the most requested touches. Names, numbers and nicknames can all change from jersey to jersey inside the same run, so the side does not pay for a separate design per player.

The trick is collecting the list cleanly. Give one person the job, use a single spreadsheet with three columns for size, number and back text, and lock it before approving the mockup. Check spelling, decide whether nicknames run in capitals and agree on a length limit so a long nickname does not wrap awkwardly across the shoulders.

Numbers on a vets side do not have to follow positions. Some sides give long-serving players a retired number, use the year a player first joined the club, or let players choose. Whatever the rule, write it down before the list goes in so there are no duplicates.

How many rugby jerseys should a vets or social side order?

A vets or social side should order enough rugby jerseys for the regular squad plus a handful of spares for guests, returners and new joiners. Because the minimum order at Customized Rugby Jerseys is 12, even a small side that only fields a team a few times a season can order its own kit.

Social squads are fluid. A player who has not appeared for two seasons turns up for the derby, and a former first-teamer drops down after an injury. Order a few blank or numbers-only spares in the most common sizes so those players can wear the kit on the day. Spare jerseys with no name can be handed out at festivals and returned afterward.

1. Count the players who appeared at least once last season.
2. Add spares in the two or three most common sizes.
3. Ask whether any supporters or partners want a matching relaxed-fit shirt.
4. Save the approved design so new joiners can reorder later.

How should a social rugby side fund its custom jerseys?

A social rugby side usually funds custom jerseys through a mix of player contributions, a sponsor and the club itself. Price depends on the jersey style, the fabric, how many decoration positions are used and the size of the order, so request a quote early and share the real figure with players before collecting money.

Sponsors are easier to find for a vets side than many clubs expect. Members run local businesses, and a front-of-jersey logo in the clubhouse photo is a meaningful thank-you. Sublimated kits make it simple to add a sponsor mark because every color is printed in one pass.

Because Customized Rugby Jerseys asks for nothing until the design is approved, the side can share the mockup with players and sponsors, confirm who is paying and only then commit. That avoids the common problem of collecting money for a kit nobody has seen.

When should a vets side order jerseys for a festival or tour?

A vets side should start the jersey order at least a month before a festival or tour, even though standard turnaround is about 2 weeks after approval. The extra time covers chasing the size list, agreeing the design and any revisions, which always take longer on a social side than on a first XV with a coach in charge.

Work backward from the departure date. Allow time for the mockup, which arrives within 24 hours of a request, then time for the committee and the players to agree changes, then about 2 weeks of production and delivery. Faster turnaround is available with express shipping when a fixture creeps up. For a one-off trip, a tour and commemorative jersey can be ordered alongside the regular social kit in the same conversation.

Festivals and masters tournaments often bring several clubs together, so a distinctive design also makes the side easy to spot in the crowd and in every photograph afterward.