The new extra tight jerseys are great, don't get me wrong, not only do they serve a purpose to keep tacklers from being able to get a hold, but they are also wonderful at showing off the physique of the players.
Look at how much publicity and YouTube replays SBW got when his jersey ripped in the All Blacks' RWC opener against Tonga and All Black doctor Deb Robinson had difficulty getting the oh-so-tight jersey over his toned body (though personally I preferred Irish flanker Sean O'Brien's jersey malfunction in the Ireland v Italy RWC game), but does anyone beside the most rugby mad even remember much else that happened in that that first ABs game other than that they won?
In this professional era where the players are getting bigger, stronger, and fitter why the trend to baggy, almost NBA style shorts? With legs like Hosea Gear's more the norm than the exception, why not show them! The truth is sex sells. When it comes to the majority of these athletes, men want to be like them, while women want to be with them. Now don't deny it, I know you have had that fantasy, whether you acknowledge it or not (it's OK!).
I know a lot of women who don't really understand the game of rugby, but like to watch it purely for the athletes and their bodies. Even those women who love the sport for the sport's sake have been known to enjoy the added bonus of watching muscular men be athletic. This is a demographic that could be more fully exploited if kit makers were to bring back the shorty short, heck, maybe even to the point of increasing TV ratings and match ticket sales.
And in a game where the jerseys are designed with such special care to incorporate the most cutting edge of technology in order to give the player every last advantage, why have the shorts seem to have gone to the wayside? When I am playing rugby the last thing I want is a bunch of superfluous cloth hanging on my legs, bunching up and slowing me down.
The less, the better, in my opinion. Besides, long baggy shorts give the tacklers something to grab on to, which negates the purpose of the tight jersey. So what's the point?
So here's the scenario (and I exaggerate only slightly): shorter shorts means attracting more viewers, boosting the viewing pleasure for some already watching the game, and increasing player performance. Sounds like a win/win to me.
Canterbury, Adidas, Nike, Kukri, Kooga, Puma, and whoever else makes rugby kit, hear my plea and bring back the shorty short. I want to see those legs in all their glory (wink wink, nudge nudge). Thank you.