Although it is mainly a shade of blue and gold with a hint of maroon.
Ives (62) has stepped down this season as the Highlanders baggage manager. He was the man who looked after the most important thing for all players — the gear; the playing jerseys that were worn for every game for every season for more than a dozen years.
Ives said it was an all-encompassing position which involved plenty of work during the season.
"It is a very time consuming job. I loved it and all but it all took time," he said.
"You have to sort out all the jerseys after the game and help clean it all up. We used to store a lot of it at the shed at Logan Park but that ended up not being big enough for all the stuff we had."
There were three sets of playing jerseys used throughout the season but well over a hundred jerseys were used as different players came in during the season.
The jerseys were a lot tighter these days, he said, and players needed a hand to get kit on sometimes. Few jerseys ripped these days.
There was not a new set of jerseys used for every game.
Players received 56 items of gear at the start of the season — everything from shoes to training gear to singlets.
Once the players got the training gear and all the other items — apart from the actual playing kit — it was the player’s responsibility to wash it and keep it clean.
A match day for Ives started about 11am and finished well after kick-off as he collected the jerseys and helped de-clutter the changing room.
As well as the gear he was in charge of filling water bottles for trainers. There was food to organise for the players afterwards — players usually got food such as sushi, chicken nibbles and soup.
"I used to have some lollies that some players liked. Jamie [Joseph] did not like the players having the lollies so I used to have to sneak them to them.
"You used to have a TV in the changing room so you could keep an eye on the game. But you had to get all of the halftime stuff ready. Before the game you’d be in there helping but five minutes before they ran out you’d get out."
The highlight of his time with the franchise — he started out with Otago also but found it too busy to do two teams so stayed with the Highlanders — was the title win in 2015.
"That was outstanding. Just all the hard work that had gone in. Quite overwhelming to be honest. It was that "is this really happening sort of thing."
"That was the best part of the job."
He had collected plenty of jerseys and gear over the years, he said, and was never lost for a top to drag on or shoes to wear.
Ives, who is a stock controller at General Tyres, had shoulder surgery last year and decided it was time for someone else to come on board. He was paid for the job but did it for love of the game rather than the money.
The franchise had given him a couple of platinum tickets so could now sit in the stand and watch games.
Ives’ standing-down mirrors that of his son Justin, a Japanese international lock, who has also retired.
Justin Ives went to two World Cups for Japan and played in the country for 12 years. He is now back living in Nelson, working as a builder.Ives has been replaced in his baggage job by Hugo Hyndman, a former Alhambra-Union premier team manager.