What Are Those?! Headguards at the 2022 Six Nations

If there’s one thing that helps a player stand out on the field, it’s a brightly-coloured headguard.

Players keen to protect their perfectly-formed ears have continued wearing scrum caps in this year’s Six Nations with a few brands standing out. Here, we’ll take a look at some of our favourites from the first two weeks.

Body Armour Ventilator: Grant Gilchrist, Mack Hansen

Hailing from New Zealand, Body Armour make some of rugby’s most popular headguards. Indeed, the bright red design worn by Gilchrist in the first two rounds makes the second row stand out unmistakably from a distance.

While players often avoid headguards due to comfort, the Ventilator design allows air to flow around the head as much as possible – critical when playing at such a high intensity.

Plenty of ear holes also offers the best clarity of hearing so players know what’s going on, even in noisy stadiums.

Gilbert Air: Ignacio Brex

Like the Ventilator, Gilbert’s Air headguard helps the wearer to keep a cool head. No wonder it’s popular with the Italian-based Brex!

Knowing how sweaty players can get in the heat of battle, Gilbert include a hygienic liner across their headguards which helps avoid odour build-up so your scrumcap stays fresher for longer.

With multiple colour options, players can decide whether they want to stand out on the pitch or let their performance do the talking.

Gilbert Falcon: Gregory Alldritt

For players who want a bit more protection, the Falcon offers more coverage around the head. This is great for players who like to get stuck in, or indeed don’t want their hair sticking out the ventilation slots!

The moulded 3D foam design protects you from abrasions without feeling bulky meaning that you can play on without even noticing the extra protection.

And, at £29.99 it offers an affordable option for players at all levels of the game, from school players to French international No. 8s…