WALLABIES JERSEY HISTORY (1899 – present) –

WALLABIES JERSEY HISTORY (1899 – present)

story written & researched by Sean Fagan

Some of the jerseys the Wallabies have played in since 1899 (a lithograph issued by Legends Genuine Memorabilia c2005. Image courtesy of Michael Fahey ). — Some of the jerseys the Wallabies have played in since 1899 (a lithograph issued by Legends Genuine Memorabilia c.2005. Image courtesy of Michael Fahey).

The main eras of Wallabies jersey colours:

1899–1904: Sky blue in Sydney / maroon in Brisbane
1905–1907: Sky blue & maroon hoops
1908–1928: Mostly sky blue (maroon in Brisbane 1914)
1929–1961: Dark green (with exceptions vs South Africa and gold in 1938)
1962–76: Gold
1978–present: Gold with green embellishments (noting a few one-offs like the 1995 World Cup hoops, 1997–98 “jigsaw,” and 1999 centenary sky blue).

Australian rugby colours evolution since 1899
As there was no national Rugby Australia body founded until the late 1940s, the first jersey colours of Australia (1899 to 1928) were either a combination of the two rugby states, Queensland maroon red and NSW light blue, or they simply wore maroon in Brisbane and blue in Sydney. A green jersey was used in the 1930s, and gold became permanent in 1962.

The First Wallabies 1908/09
The first team to go by the name of ‘Wallabies’ was the Australian touring party who went to Great Britain in 1908. Organised and funded by the NSWRU, the team wore NSW sky blue jerseys with a waratah badge with the word ‘Australia’ underneath.
[Link: read about the team’s 1908 London Olympics gold medal and how the ‘Wallabies Were Nearly The Wallaroos‘]

Why are the Wallabies gold?
The Wallabies first turned out in a predominately gold jersey in 1938. This was because their 1930s dark green jersey often clashed with the All Blacks jerseys whenever it rained or the field was muddy. The two teams tended to merge and become difficult to distinguish.

However, this use of gold in 1938 did not prove to be popular with the Australian team nor the supporters, and the Wallabies returned to green. Of course, as South Africa too wore green, in these games Australia changed to wear a predominately white jersey.

Finally in 1962, with no other international team using gold, and Australia’s sporting colours now universally green and gold, the Wallabies jersey was permanently changed to gold.

1908 Wallabies perform their war cry in Wales (image courtesy National Library of Wales) — 1908 Wallabies (light blue jerseys) perform their war cry in Wales (image courtesy National Library of Wales)

Wallabies jerseys colours
1899 – present
(Test matches & World Cups)

1899-1904
SKY BLUE in Sydney / MAROON in Brisbane

1905-1907
SKY BLUE & MAROON ‘butcher stripes’ hoops
except for
1907: regular hoops (3rd Test v NZ)

1908-1928
SKY BLUE
except for
1914: maroon in Brisbane

1929-1961
DARK GREEN
except for
1933: sky blue (tour to Sth Africa)
1937: white with green/gold centre bands (vs Sth Africa)
1938: gold with green centre band (vs NZ)
1956: white (vs Sth Africa)
1961: gold (tour to Sth Africa)

1962-76
GOLD

1978-present
GOLD WITH GREEN embellishments
except for
1995: gold & green hoops (vs Romania, RWC)
1997-98: gold with green & white (‘jigsaw jersey’)
1999: sky blue (vs England)

“The Australian jersey for the Rugby Union Tests against the All Blacks should make the crowds laugh if one is not much mistaken. It will be gold with a wide green bar, green collar. Black shorts will be worn. Don’t be surprised if there comes a call of ‘Here come the, Canaries,’ when the big day comes. It is a pity that a national color has not been fixed for our rugby.”
— The Referee sports newspaper, Sydney, July 1938