Beschrijving
AN INTRODUCTION TO VINTAGE AUSTRALIA RUGBY T-SHIRT RETRO
This Vintage Australia Rugby T-Shirt is inspired by the great Australian Rugby teams from the history of the game.
The Australia Rugby Union team went on an epic world tour visiting Ceylon, Britain, Ireland, France, Canada and the USA. They set sail from Sydney in July 1947 returning to Australia on the 28th March 1948. They played five Tests and an incredible thirty-four minor tour matches.
The tour captain was Bill McLean. McLean’s father and brother had both played for both the Australia Rugby Union Wallabies and the Australia Rugby League Kangaroos. The teams won their first game against Devon & Cornwall by 17 points to 7. They then had four games in quick succession. And they defeated Midland Counties 22 points to 14, Gloucestershire & Somerset 30 points to 8 and Abertillery & Cross Keys 6 points to 3.
They lost against Cardiff 11 points to 3, but disaster struck for McLean in the next game against Combined Services played at Twickenham Stadium in London. With the match nearing the end McLean was hit by three tacklers from different angles. It was reported onlookers heard the sound of breaking bones. McLean was rushed to a hospital and it was found he’d suffered a serious spiral fracture of the fibula and tibia. Sadly he had played his last representative match.
INJURY STRIKES AND AUSTRALIA RUGBY UNION APPOINT 20 YEAR OLD CAPTAIN
Worse was to follow when Charlie Eastes the champion Manly winger suffered a broken arm in the match. This resulted in the end of his participation on the tour. Trevor Allan captained the tour who at 20 when selected as vice-captain of the squad. Only a few days earlier he had celebrated his 21st birthday.
The Wallabies faced Scotland at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh for their first home nations test match. They enjoyed the perfect start to their international matches with a confident victory by 16 points to 7. Try scorers included Arthur Tonkin, Max Howell, Ken Kearney and Graeme Cooke. Brian Piper kicked two goals. They then met Ireland at Lansdowne Road in Dublin and played extremely well. The tourists were far too strong scoring four tries through Arthur Tonkin, Cyril Burke and Colin Windon. Bob McMaster kicked a goal. Captain Trevor Allan capped a great performance with a try and a goal to give the Wallabies a 16 points to 3 victory.
However, Wales were a much tougher prospect at the Cardiff Arms Park in front of a crowd of 45,000. In a dull game Wales defeated the tourists by 6 points to nil. The goal kicking of Bill Tamplin making the difference. But, Australia got back to winning ways by defeating England at Twickenham by 11 points to nil. 70,000 spectators watched Australia score tries through Alan Walker and a brace of tries from Colin Windon. Arthur Tonkin kicked one goal.
WALLABIES OUTSTANDING DEFENCE
None of the home nations teams managed to cross the Australian try line. However when they met France at the Stade Colombes in Paris the Wallabies conceded three tries in their disappointing 13 points to 6 defeat. They had defeated South West France 8 points to 7. Toulon 16 points to 5. And Île-de-France 30 points to 12.
They returned to Cardiff to play the Barbarians. The Barbarians included six internationals from England, five from Wales, two from Scotland, one from Ireland. The game was a keenly fought match with the Barbarians winning 9–6. After the match tour captain Bill McLean received the honorary Barbarian membership.
The tourists then flew to North America and played three matches against Canadian teams and two games against USA opposition in Los Angeles and San Francisco. They won all these games.
MANUFACTURING OF VINTAGE AUSTRALIA RUGBY T-SHIRT
Manufactured from satin touch 100% cotton, the Ellis Rugby Vintage Australian Rugger T-Shirt features detailed embroidery on the vintage badge, herringbone detail on vents and velvet tape on the neck opening. In addition a stylish ’14’ contrast applique number on the back with the subtle Ellis Rugby branding on the collar stand and tone on tone logo on the arm.
Available in sizes S – 4XL.
As well as the Vintage Australia Rugby T-Shirt, we also offer a Vintage Australia Rugby Shirt Polo or a Australia Rugby Union Shirt Vintage.
