We were so excited when we got asked to make a promo poster for the Munster v All Blacks match for PBC Builders, This was more than just a game, it was a moment in history and we wanted to do it justice.

Research & Concept Development

To emphasise the rich history between the two teams, we analysed past encounters, selecting impactful stills from previous Munster vs. All Blacks clashes. These moments served as the foundation for our design, ensuring authenticity and historical depth.

The poster needed to showcase four key elements:

• The past matchups

• The Munster squad

• The All Blacks squad

• PBC Builders' promotional content

  
  

We started by creating a structured layout to seamlessly integrate these elements while maintaining a strong visual hierarchy.

Central to the composition were the two team captains, positioned as if facing off in battle.

While sourcing images for the poster, we found a powerful shot of Scott Barrett, the All Blacks captain, that fit seamlessly into our composition. However, locating a suitable image of Tadhg Beirne proved to be a challenge. Despite extensive searches across image databases and match photography archives, we couldn't find a high-quality image that aligned with our vision one that matched Barrett’s pose and conveyed the intensity of the rivalry. Rather than compromising, we took a creative approach and decided to construct the image ourselves.

Step 1: Finding the Right Base Image

We began by identifying an image where Beirne's head was positioned correctly. Although the lighting and quality were ideal, his body stance didn't fit the composition. To resolve this, we combed through past match footage and interviews, searching for a frame where his posture matched the intended pose. Once we found a suitable still, we took a high-resolution screenshot to use as the base for his body.

Step 2: Merging the Head and Body

With both elements in place, we carefully separated Beirne’s head from the original image and aligned it with the newly sourced body. Using precise masking techniques, we blended the two seamlessly, adjusting the angles and proportions to ensure a natural transition.

Step 3: Colour Grading & Texture Matching

One of the biggest challenges was ensuring that the new composition looked cohesive. The face image was sharp, rich in texture, and well-lit, while the body image had slightly different lighting and resolution. To create consistency, we applied targeted colour grading, adjusting tones, shadows, and highlights to unify both elements.Additionally, the difference in detail between the two images required further refinement. Beirne's face had noticeable stubble, but the body image lacked this texture. To address this, we used the clone tool to carefully replicate his facial stubble and blend it onto his neck, ensuring a realistic transition.

Step 4: Reconstructing Missing Details

Since the new composition required altering the original jersey’s shape, we needed to recreate missing elements such as the collar and sleeve. Using a combination of digital painting and texture cloning, we meticulously rebuilt these areas, ensuring they matched the surrounding fabric in texture, lighting, and perspective.

Final Touches

Once the core elements were in place, we applied subtle refinements—enhancing shadows, sharpening details, and fine-tuning the overall balance of the image. The result was a seamlessly integrated portrait of Tadhg Beirne, standing strong opposite Scott Barrett, perfectly capturing the tension and history of the rivalry.This meticulous process ensured that every detail of the poster was carefully crafted, staying true to the high standards we set for the project.

we started looking at the background design of the poster, because this is a historic match we wanted to stay on that historic theme so we overlayed the team logos with white, black and red smoke and overlayed that with a gritty texture to give it that rugged worn through time look.

We then incorporated the three key moments from past matches, desaturated to black and white to symbolise history, and layered them into the composition.

After refining player placements, we created three different lighting variations, bright, dark, and high-contrast, blending them to achieve the best depth and detail.

With the composition complete, we integrated PBC Builders' promotional information, ensuring it stood out without detracting from the visual impact. The final design delivered a bold, dynamic tribute to this historic game, merging storytelling with high end design execution.

Final Product