The Wallabies have unveiled a new jersey for next year’s British and Irish Lions series featuring Indigenous artwork designed by winger Dylan Pietsch and a traditional green collar likely to be embraced by fans.
Pietsch, who debuted for Australia earlier this year, is the first Indigenous Wallaby to design a jersey for the national team, having agreed to come on board for the project in partnership with ASICS over a year ago.
On tour with the Barbarians in the United Kingdom last year, Pietsch even set his alarm to wake up at 4am one game day morning to spend time designing the artwork.
He said the artwork took about five days to complete and admitted watching the Australian team run out for the Tests against the Lions in July and August next year would be a proud occasion for him and his family.
“When I started my art, that was one of the biggest things … to be on a Wallabies jersey,” Pietsch, the 15th Indigenous player to represent the Wallabies, told this masthead before the official launch on Tuesday in Sydney.
Wallabies winger Dylan Pietsch helped design the jersey that Australia will wear during next year’s British and Irish Lions series. Credit: James Brickwood
“I’ve done that already which is pretty cool. It’s really special and for my family. They love the Wallabies and now they’ve got the design on the jersey.
“I wanted to really acknowledge the land that we’re on and the people that have been here for so long for a consistent period of time. And not really having that “tick-of-a-box round”, where you do it for one round, everyone smiles, and everyone forgets about it.”
The artwork centres on a wallaby and lion squaring off against each other. Pietsch made sure both animals were at the same meeting height, to “show a level of respect”.
There are Indigenous patterns that portray the natural landscapes of Australia, while the inner sleeve features the First Nations names of the locations where the fixtures will be held.
Asked if he’d like to see more Indigenous Wallabies representatives, Pietsch said: “It’s hard because you lose a lot to rugby league and AFL … that’s such a cultural thing for us. I feel like we’re heading in the right direction. It’s a lot better than when I first started in rugby. These are baby steps, I suppose. Slow change is good change.”
A close-up of the new Wallabies jersey for next year’s Lions series, featuring a lion and wallaby.
The jersey will also feature a collar, in a nod to the heritage of the Wallabies’ playing uniform.
Despite concerns in the northern hemisphere about the competitiveness of next year’s series due to a series of underwhelming Wallabies performances in recent years, Pietsch is adamant Australia will be on their game.
“I think it’s going to be a really good series and if they’re saying that it’s not going to be as competitive, I think they’ll be shocked when it happens,” Pietsch said.
There is still plenty of rugby to be played before then, with Australia departing Sydney this week for a four-Test grand slam tour of Europe against England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
Pietsch will be vying for a spot in Australia’s back three with league recruit Joseph Suaalii, who trained on Monday with the Wallabies in Sydney. Australia have won four of nine Tests under new coach Joe Schmidt this year.
“He’s a freak,” Pietsch said of Suaalii. “He’s a world-class athlete. He’s only going to learn as well. We feel like we’re really building something here. If it was quick change, and we’re winning every game straight away, it’s probably not going to last.”
