There have been calls to make the Eora sung rendition of the Australian national anthem permanent after Olivia Fox delivered a spine-tingling performance on Saturday night ahead of the Wallabies’ final Test of the year against Los Pumas in Parramatta.
Fox, a young singer from Newtown High School of the Performing Arts, delivered the Australian National Anthem first in Eora language followed by English.
All 23 of the Wallabies – wearing their Indigenous jersey for the second time in 2020 – joined her in singing both renditions, before playing out a dramatic 16-16 draw against the Pumas from Argentina.
The stunning rendition won wide praise, with calls to permanently include the Eora version in all Tests match and, indeed, in all circumstances when the Australian National Anthem is sung.
“Absolutely fantastic: every Wallabies player sung the first half of the national anthem in Indigenous language. Learned the words. Paid respect. A great step forward,” respected journalist Jamie Pandaram tweeted.
Former Wallaby turned public figure Peter Fitzimons agreed.
“Huge. Indeed, this is the way forward,” he tweeted in response.
Huge. Indeed, this is the way forward. https://t.co/XMRzfV6ftw
— Peter FitzSimons (@Peter_Fitz) December 5, 2020
Wallabies great Matt Giteau tweeted it was a “Special moment in Australian sport.. well done Wallabies.”
His former teammates Kurtley Beale - one of 14 Indigenous men to play for the Wallabies - said it was "special".
Australian netballer Kim Green went one further: “This is the BEST Australian sporting moment I have ever seen.”
Special moment in Australian sport.. well done @wallabies 💛🖤❤️🙌🏼 https://t.co/61EV884V53
— Matt Giteau 🇦🇺 (@giteau_rugby) December 5, 2020
The plan to include the Eora version came after Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan and experienced Wallaby Dane Haylett-Petty heard Fox sing it before the Indigenous jersey launch last month in Redfern.
McLennan then acted swiftly, getting RA interim CEO Rob Clarke on board.
The Wallabies were only told of the initiative to sing both versions on Monday.
Every day they spent time learning the lyrics.
“We were practicing it during the week, and it was never a question for our guys, we were very proud to do it and I think it sounded pretty good too,” Wallabies captain Michael Hooper said.
“Wearing an Indigenous jersey and singing that - Aboriginal and then English - it was great to be a part of."
Asked whether it should become a mainstay in Australian rugby, Hooper was noncommittal but added it would be "spoken about".
The next chance Australian rugby fans might have the chance to hear it again will be next July, as the Wallabies host France in a three-match Test series which is expected to be confirmed shortly.
Dave Rennie's Wallabies missed the chance to take some momentum into next year by playing out a dramatic and controversial 16-16 draw to round out the Tri Nations.
The draw was the Wallabies' third in six Tests and second straight result against Los Pumas.
"We're a work in progress," Rennie said.
"We're good men who have worked hard and come together well, but, as I've said, we need to see that reflected in performance.
"There's no lack of heart and no lack of effort, but we've got to be way more clinical. Discipline was disappointing tonight and we made some dumb errors.
"We won one out of six, if you look at it from that perspective. It's disappointing, but I guess we've got an understanding of where we're at, the shifts we need to make and I look forward to seeing how these boys develop and apply pressure to us through Super Rugby."
