Sundowns pay tribute to Tshwane neighbours Bulls with third kit

CAPE TOWN – Mamelodi Sundowns unveiled their new, traditional yellow kit for the 2018/19 season last month with great fanfare to nods of approval from their legion of supporters.

At the unveiling in July, kit suppliers PUMA said that this jersey, “leverages the personality of the team and their roots in Mamelodi, expressing how the Beat of Mamelodi is brought to life.”

The traditional Brazil yellow is still there, but is supplemented by an ‘M’ that also symbolises what PUMA describe as the “heartbeat” of the players and fans.

The blue shorts and white socks have been retained.

Fast forward, and two weeks later Masandawana –who play some of their games at the Bulls’ Loftus Versfeld stadium - unveiled a third kit, noting that this blue kit is, in turn, a tribute to the Blue Bulls.

Mamelodi Sundowns' on Wednesday unveiled their third kit for the 2018/19 season. Photo: supplied

Today’s unveiling follows the Tshwane-based rugby team’s own launch, in January this year, of their new yellow, white and blue away kit as a tribute to former African champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

The kit was so similar to Sundowns’ strip that fans on social-media were quick to dub the Bulls the “Mamelodi Blue Bulls”.

Noting the comments, the Bulls stated that, as they share the same kit supplier (Puma), they “will face their opponents in true ‘Bafana Ba Style’ fashion, emulating the Brazilians’ flair on field whilst carrying the same elements found on the Bulls home kit”.

Mamelodi Sundowns spokesperson Thulani Thuswa says: “There is a saying: ‘Tshwane ra tshwana – in Pretoria we are the same’. This new third kit symbolizes the City of Champions, and what greater way to pay tribute to our fellow city giants than by donning their famous blue.”