Wallabies to wear Indigenous strip at World Cup

Wed, May 29, 2019, 10:00 AM
Beth Newman
by Beth Newman
Wallabies star Kurtley Beale says the significance of wearing an indigenous jersey at a Rugby World Cup can't be understated. Beale says the jersey can not only inspire the next generation but also bring together the entire country.

The Wallabies will wear a new alternative Indigenous jersey strip against Uruguay at the Rugby World Cup and have slated a request to don the jersey in a potential semi-final.

While the alternate strip was not revealed at the official launch on Wednesday, it was available for sale on the Wallabies' official shop and later confirmed as the side's away jersey.

Australia will wear the jersey, which is a predominantly green version of the Indigenous jersey that they have worn twice before, against Uruguay on October 5 at Oita Stadium.

They have also requested to wear the jersey, pending a potential clash with teams including South Africa and Ireland, in a potential semi-final on the weekend of October 26-27.

Kurtley Beale and Matt Giteau in the 2015 alternate strip. Photo: Getty ImagesAt the last World Cup, the Wallabies had a white alternate strip that they wore for captain's runs but did not don the jersey for any of their Tests in the tournament.

Since then, they have had a mainly green alternative jersey for captain's runs but they have never needed to wear it in a game, with few jersey clashes in international rugby.

The Wallabies first donned an Indigenous jersey back in 2017 in the third Bledisloe Test in Brisbane and wore it again last year against England at Twickenham.

That jersey, designed by artist Dennis Golding, was hugely popular with fans and that popularity sparked the conversation about its use in the Rugby World Cup.

Such was the popularity of the strip that Golding has been approached by a number of other sporting teams to design Indigenous jerseys, recently commissioning a design for the NRL's Wests Tigers.

The Wallabies kick off their 2019 campaign against Fiji on September 21 at the Sapporo Dome before taking on Wales, Georgia and Uruguay in the remainder of their pool matches.

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