The bipolar Wallabies were due for a big performance against England and they duly delivered, in accordance with the inconsistent level of performance which has marked the Deans era.
As encouraging as this result is, enthusiasm is tempered for two reasons – one being that recent good efforts tend to be followed up by poor ones, and therefore many supporters are reluctant to shout too loud too soon that the current Wallabies are the real deal.
The second reason being that the England rugby team, or rather the RFU, handed the Wallabies a significant head start before a ball had even been kicked, by ignoring tradition and sending their team out in a ridiculous looking playing strip.
Everything about this cries out ‘wrong, wrong, wrong,’ yet any alarm bells which may have rang out at RFU Twickenham headquarters were seemingly drowned out by clinking gin and tonic glasses and singing cash registers when this strip was first used against Argentina last year, and again on the weekend.
The RFU are already, by some distance, the wealthiest administrative body in world rugby which, to the layman supporter, suggests they don’t need to sell their soul for a few measly pieces of silver. This unfortunately underestimates the sheer power of greed, which is surely the sole motivation behind this strip.
Not that they are admitting it – they could acknowledge what we all know, that at 90 pounds per playing jumper sold, this decision stands to benefit Nike and the RFU considerably and leave it at that. But instead we get spun the line that the colour chosen is ‘Regal Purple’ and has some link to traditional English royalty.
Links to English royalty? Really? Like finally admitting that Will Carling was shagging Princess Di on the sly? Or Prince Harry would be a terror on the turps with Mike Tindall, baring arse cheeks, tossing a few dwarves and throwing in a few Nazi salutes for good measure.
In reality, the official colour is puce, a French word meaning ‘flea’, so named because back in the days when French beds were seemingly infested by fleas, Pierre would roll off the top of Antoinette, the nights’ conjugal duties all done and dusted, and squash a few of the little buggers – the dead fleas leaving colour spots on the white sheet that, even after washing, would be the colour of… well the colour of this English rugby jersey.
How proud and motivated would that make an English rugby player feel, slipping on that playing strip, coloured the blood of French fleas?
Many Test players of long standing speak about the buzz that comes before a game, on entering the changing room, eyeing up their jersey, and reflecting in what that means to them. That they carry a legacy for all players before them, for their country’s supporters, that they are considered worthy enough to be selected for the national team.
Indeed Richie McCaw, in his excellent book, explains how he believes each generation has the responsibility to continue the tradition and honour the black jersey and this is a major factor in the continuing All Black success.
I don’t contend for a second that every missed tackle or poor kick from an Englishman can be put down to them being embarrassed or demotivated by the strip. Or that their scrum somehow found a way to make the Wallabies scrum look world class because of it.
But I’ve got no doubt that it would be short odds on the initial reaction of the English players, upon being informed about the new strip, simply being “WTF?” When it should have been, “how good is this, how proud do I feel? White, red rose, 141 years of pure history…”
Word is that England will appear this week against the All Blacks in… well, black of course! Except that it isn’t black, it’s officially “Anthracite” a kind of dark grey. Which the RFU may well spin as to signify the link to their shit weather, but in reality provides the dual advantage of providing yet another merchandising option, and forcing the All Blacks into a change strip themselves.
All utterly ridiculous and if, as has been suggested, the NZRFU has acceded to this request without protest, then they are equally culpable.
It is 2012 and survival and growth in professional sport depends on sponsorship dollars. But clubs and national bodies must also be careful not to erode the tribalism and traditions which underpin their very being.
We are not talking here about Super Rugby sides adopting various colourful strips which are perhaps more indicative of modern times. These are, after all, ‘franchises’ with very little real history behind them, as opposed to national rugby sides.
Collingwood AFL President Eddie McGuire has it right when he proclaims that the Collingwood jumper is not for sale – at any price. Carlton are another proud AFL foundation club with a similar history, but the day they shelved their traditional navy blue and wore a horrible, sickly, M and M blue, all in the name of honouring a sponsorship deal, their club lost a little something of what made them special in the first place.
And so their players, just like England’s – even if they didn’t admit it publicly – would have felt, at worst, fools or, at best, somewhat emasculated. Certainly something less than what they should.
And with the margin between winning and losing at this level being so slight, it seems crazy to concede any advantage over something as preventable as this.
To the Wallabies, congratulations. To the RFU, you got everything you deserved.
peterlala
Guest
Allanthus, fantastic column.
The Battered Slav
Guest
The best kit I have seen in the last few years, or really since I've been watching the game, was that heritage style jersey that the English wore a couple of years ago. I wish all nations could devise a heritage style jersey of some sort and just play in those, those English ones were just awesome.
HardcorePrawn
Roar Guru
Thanks nickoldschool, I love that French football away strip, although some unkind people have suggested that it requires a beret and a string of onions to complete the look! The French rugby team have made a return to their traditional bright blue with their new strip, as well as a white away strip in the same style, and very nice they are too. As an Englishman it makes me quite jealous to see other nations returning to more retro styling: http://www.newrugbykits.com/2012/07/new-france-rugby-shirt-2012-2013-adidas-french-home-rugby-kit-12-13/ http://www.newrugbykits.com/2012/11/new-france-away-rugby-jersey-20122013-white-french-away-shirt-2013-le-xv-adidas/
NickKim&Tate
Guest
There is no anthracite strip this year - that was two seasons ago. England have the traditional white or the purple change strip so I'd expect to see them in one or the other. According to Canterbury NZ the purple colour is traditional - the England teams in the 70's 80's and early 90's wore purple track suits anthem jackets and training gear so it's a nod to history. As are the blue socks apparently. Personally I think they should always wear white when at home.
Neuen
Roar Rookie
Let me sum it up. Australia without Worldclass players like Pocock, Genia, Horwill, O' Connor managed to beat a Englland team who has a much bigger player pool to choose from. So quality vs quantity where quality for future looks good for Australia for example a guy like Hooper is a gem.
Rowdy
Guest
Speaking as an England supporter, I can say that the colour closely matched our faces after that feeble show!
Parisien
Guest
Very entertaining read Allanthus, and I chuckled over the possible reasons for choosing "puce" and "anthracite" in the first place. Is this strip really officially known as "puce"? I had to look the colour up and find a guide. Its looks more like eggplant or young red wine in colour - I call it the "Beajolais nouveau" strip, which I think is fitting given that the Beaujolais nouveau comes out every november, and this year, on the thursday just two days prior to the game. Its very popular with the English but the cheap ones leave a heavy hangover. I think puce has a lot more brown in it, like dried blood. If its regal purple, well, you've said enough on the subject of the royal family links, and I loved the Will Carling, Mike Tindall and Prince Harry references. How fitting indeed! Perhaps they chose purple for Cardinal Wolsey!
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Agree Sheek. Excuse my ignorance but i had no idea 'purple' was the color of royal Brits before this w-e!. At least i learnt something with England wearing this outfit i guess (thanks to rugby!) Re the striped jersey, the couturier Jean-Paul Gaultier said sailors shirts were even more representative of 'frenchness' worldwide than the traditional blue jersey when the football team wore them and many didnt like it. So yes, it still sticks with the tradition concept we all like. Tbh, had no idea the wallabies had had that many outfits! I liek the old white and green you showed earlier. classy.
Argyle
Roar Guru
Cheers Mate - your Google Skills are better than mine.
Atawhai Drive
Roar Guru
Sheek, according to Peter Jenkins's Wallaby Gold (page 88, 2003 edition) they played in light blue jerseys, black shorts and dark blue socks, "to avoid a clash of jerseys in the Tests". There were five Tests on that tour. I guess they played in green jerseys and white shorts in the 18 tour matches. I like the 1989-96 jersey best.
sheek
Roar Guru
Apparently it's confirmed that in 1933 the Wallabies returned to playing in sky blue jerseys & dark blue shorts.
sheek
Roar Guru
Nick, I actually like the alternate French striped jersey. As least it remains faithful to combinations of blue, white or red. And it's based on tradition. I suppose the English will argue the royal purple is traditional also. However, purple has played no role in English history outside of a direct livery of royalty.
sheek
Roar Guru
Slav, Just to reiterate, Here's a rough guideline of Wallabies jerseys & how they changed. 1899-1914 - sky blue in Sydney & maroon in Brisbane. 1905-1907 - sky blue & maroon butcher stripes (alternate thick & thin stripes) & dark blue shorts. 1908/09 - sky blue & dark blue shorts. 1920-28 - sky blue (NSW only state playing rugby) & dark blue shorts. 1929-36 - green jerseys & white shorts (very identical to Boks). 1933 (in SA) - light shirts & dark shorts (from the b/w photos cannot confirm if jerseys are white or gold & & whether shorts are green or blue. 1937 - white jerseys with thick green & thin gold bands, & green shorts. 1938 - gold jerseys with green band & green shorts. 1946-60 - green jerseys & white shorts. Green & gold hooped sox now standard. 1961-76 - gold jerseys & green shorts. 1978-88 - gold jerseys with three green stripes down sleeves & three gold stripes on green shorts. 1989-96 - gold fading to orange jerseys & green shorts. Green sox with gold fold. 1997-98 - so called spew or pizza jerseys with green sleeves & white & green flashes over right shoulder. 1999-2007 (?) - the best version to date - gold jerseys with green sleeves & white bands. Also featuring green southern cross on body. 2008 (?)-present - tight gold jerseys with brownish panels & green shorts.
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Agree Hardcore (sorry couldnt reply to your post direct) , am also a traditionalist and like your concept of sticking to home and away colour ( white and red for England, blue and white for France etc). Last year, the French football team wore their new striped sailor's shirt and although most purists hated it, i have to admit i quite liked it! Apparently, the sailor shirt, or Breton shirt (from Brittany) was introduced a couple of centuries ago to help sailor's stand out at sea. Have not read of any plan for our rugby boys to wear it but would not mind it (against Samoa or Italy who also wear blue). http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/photo/140/859/4/picture.html#1408594 Disclaimer; sorry to "pollute" a rugby thread with a photo of footballers!!!! :)
The Battered Slav
Guest
Wow. I'd always assumed we'd played in green with white collar until the change to gold. Interesting looking jersey, not sure if I prefer it to what seems to be the most popular one of all, the adidas tri strip Uncle mentioned. Much prefer solid colours for national jerseys myself.
sheek
Roar Guru
Yes Uncle, I found a copy of the 1937/38 jersey wallabies-2009-1937-rugby-jersey-lge-p-36266.html. http://www.goodscore.com.au/wallabies-2009-1937-rugby-jersey-lge-p-36266.html.
AdamS
Roar Guru
It was quite rightly, a Bonfire of the Barnies. http://pegasusnews.com/media/img/photos/2008/01/08/thumbs/burning_barney.jpg.728x520_q85.jpg
Argyle
Roar Guru
Mate there is a Wallaby jumper Circa 1938 that is a cracker. I think Lordy and Sheek are the only two to have actually seen them in play - I digress - I cant find it on Google but its white but with green and gold tubing around chest and arms. With Green shorts and green & gold hooped socks. Other than that the ADDIDAS Tri Strip was and remain a favourite.
The Battered Slav
Guest
Yeah Uncle the pizza slice was a shocker... I really like the idea of traditional jerseys. National teams/clubs seemed to follow the same conventions as schools, in that the First XV generally play in solid colours, whereas the lower grade teams play in hoops, quarters or stripes. National Teams have historically played in solid colours, except for some notable exceptions such as Argentina and Japan, who have always played in the more club style hoops. I like the traditional patterns of jerseys, and really respect the minimal tinkering countries like NZ and RSA do to their national first XV jerseys, which have been the same for over 100 years. I just wish to Wallabies could play in a solid gold jumper with a dark green collar and number.
abnutta
Roar Guru
I find it curious that the IRB decided to enshrine it into law that the away team must acquiesce. So we can blame the IRB for this departure from traditional practice of the home union wearing a change strip if there was a clash. I suspect it was an attempt by the IRB to bring itself into line with the association football propensity for "away" strips. PS. Kooga and Canterbury are both brands of the JD Sports group, and have no known association with reebok.