England rugby has new uniform purveyor LONDON, March 3 (UPI) -- European clothing manufacturer Canterbury scored a blow in the rugby world by elbowing Nike out as suppliers of uniforms for England's national rugby team. The change means Nike will only be the uniform purveyors for the French side with even the United States getting its jerseys from Canterbury, Britain's The Daily Telegraph said. Nike had supplied England for some 29 years, but the newspaper said the team had been criticized in recent years for frequent style changes and the use of non-traditional colors. Canterbury Chief Executive Chris Stephenson told The Daily Telegraph he saw the new arrangement with England as a timely move. "I genuinely think they are playing more as a team," he said. The opportunity to grow a bunch of young guys into a formidable team is one of the main reasons why we thought it would be a great deal for us. The victory will not come cheap, however. The newspaper said Canterbury will pony up $7.9 million per year for the sponsorship deal that runs through the 2015 Rugby World Cup.