South Africa's famous logo will be moved off the breast for next year's World Cup © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

News: Broken Bok Steenkamp to miss tour

News: Springboks in top condition for tour

News: Steenkamp blow for Springboks

Scrum Sevens: Seven stages of De Villiers

News: De Villiers escapes the axe

News: Steyn lashes out at De Villiers

News: South Africa to debut new jersey against Lions

News: Springboks announce historic change

Tournaments/Tours: Rugby World Cup

Teams: South Africa

Rugby World Cup rules will dictate that the famous Springbok logo is moved off the front of the South Africa jersey and on to the sleeve at next year's tournament in New Zealand.

The South African Rugby Union (SARU) has confirmed speculation that the need to place the IRB's Rugby World Cup logo on the right breast means there is no more room for the Springbok on the front of the jersey. Under government guidelines the emblem was recently moved to the right hand side of the national jersey to accommodate the Protea on the left.

Dr. Jan Marais, chairman of the SARU executive council, explained the call. "The decision was very straightforward in the end as our attempts to find a place for the Springbok on the front of the jersey failed to find favour," he said. "We were left with no choice and the important point to note is that this application will only be for IRB World Cup events."

Marais explained that a maximum of three marks are allowed on the front of a team jersey atthe Rugby World Cup: a national emblem (on the left breast); the event mark (right breast) and the logo of the apparel sponsor (centre). SARU explored the possibility of applying a fourth mark - the Springbok badge - either in conjunction with the national emblem of the King Protea or with that of the apparel sponsor but both ideas were rejected.

"The IRB's regulations and those of the National Colours Act are both clear and although we held discussions to look at options the cleanest solution was to put the Springbok on the sleeve on its own," Marais said.

The move to the Protea was made in late 2008 after a campaign by politicians to get the national symbol to be used by the rugby team. The South African team are still known as the Springboks after debuting the new look jersey during the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour.