WHY THIS JUMPER MATTERS
Diamonds thrill with clean sweep over Kiwis
WHEN Kurtley Beale watches the All Blacks or the Springboks sing their national anthem, he sees something he admires.
Both national songs are sung with verses in English and in indigenous languages, and regardless of their backgrounds, players and fans belt it all out with pride.
Australia doesn’t have a multi-lingual anthem but next week in Brisbane, the Wallabies will take an historic step towards a similar mutual pride and respect by what they wear.
For the first time for a national team of any code, the Wallabies will wear an indigenous jersey. The trademark gold jersey will feature green indigenous motifs, designed to honour all the Wallabies of Aboriginal descent and the influence of the indigenous community in rugby.
Beale was the driving force behind the jersey’s creation, and adoption, after taking the idea to the ARU last year. AUSTRALIA has ended the international netball year as the world No.1 after completing a Constellation Cup clean sweep with a resounding 58-42 win over New Zealand in Sydney yesterday.
Just as importantly, the Diamonds know they have the ascendancy over their most dangerous rivals ahead of next year’s Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
Stinging from a 10-goal loss to New Zealand in the Quad Series a month ago, the Australians got their revenge in this four-Test series, pulling off just their second clean sweep
Beale is jubilant he’ll be able to literally wear his heart on his sleeve against the All Blacks, with the two central pillars of his life — his culture and rugby — represented in the Wallabies jersey.
“For myself, being a proud indigenous man and a person who loves rugby union, I couldn’t be more happy,” Beale said. “I am stoked we are able to marry the two together.
“I am so honoured to be able to get something like this done, for myself and for all the indigenous people out there. Probably more for the past indigenous players who have played the game and had a huge part in Australian rugby, and laid the path for indigenous kids like me to come through and aspire to. I looked up to Andrew Walker, Wendell Sailor, the Ellas. “That’s hopefully the impact this occasion can have on the next generation.”
Beale said his Wallabies teammates and coach Mi- in the annual series since its inception in 2010.
“We put everything out there in those last four games and I think you saw that,” Australian captain Caitlin Bassett said.
Australian coach Lisa Alexander said the strong performances in the series had added to her selection headache.
“But you don’t mind that,” she said. “It means what you are doing is working.”
She said she was delighted with the way her charges had regrouped after their September loss to the Ferns.
“But you don’t want to get carried away with your wins or your losses,” she said. chael Cheika had been hugely supportive of the idea to play in an indigenous jersey. Cheika, in particular, pushed hard to get it through, Beale said.
In front of 10,861 fans at Qudos bank Arena yesterday, the Diamonds delivered an entertaining if at-times flawed performance in their last Test in Australia before the Commonwealth Games next April.
The Silver Ferns produced the best start of the series from either side with a five-goal run that left the Diamonds flustered early.
It took more than six minutes for the Diamonds to level the scores, and eight minutes to take the lead before they fell behind again to trail 12-13 at the first break.
Australia regrouped for a 26-22 lead in a scrappy second period.
“A lot of the boys have come up and said to me ‘it’s about time we have done something like this’,” Beale said. “Reconciliation is so important in this country, and I think with the ARU agreeing to this and starting to grow a special relationship to indigenous Australia, it’s only going to help bridge the gap between indigenous and nonindigenous. That’s so powerful. It is definitely a step forward.”
Though currently planned as a one-off, Beale said he hoped the Wallabies wearing the indigenous jersey would grow into something more and become an “annual” event. He said this could be the Wallabies’ version of the New Zealand or South African anthem. For now.
“Players recognising our first peoples, it could give them a bit of extra pride and respect in their jersey,” he said. “And that goes a long way when you’re out on the field and playing alongside each other. No doubt that’s what the All Blacks would
Both coaches made shooting changes to good effect, with Maria Tutaia on for Bailey Mes and Caitlin Thwaites replacing Aussie captain Bassett in the circle alongside feel, and no doubt that’s what the Springboks would feel. They’re small steps, but we are moving now and we are slowly getting there. It’s great as an indigenous man to see our culture being recognised in the game and by the game. It is a beautiful thing.”
Beale won’t be letting his emotions get in the way of the huge task at hand in Brisbane: beating the All Blacks.
It’s a dead rubber as far as the Bledisloe Cup series is concerned but there is no such thing as a meaningless Test against the Kiwis, and the Wallabies enter the match with confidence. They pushed the All Blacks right to the wire in Dunedin in August.
Beale said there was “much to take” from the game.
“I always knew that we had the squad to do something like that,” Beale said.
“Unfortunately we couldn’t finish it off but it has definitely helped our confidence and the boys are believing in ourselves, and in each other, about what we can achieve.” Steph Wood. A physical third quarter was owned by Australia as the hosts opened up a 10goal lead before taking a 40-31 jump into the final break.
Alexander swapped her entire bench in during the final period as her side powered home to run out resounding 16-point winners.
Thwaites top-scored for Australia with 30 from 32. Wood netted 15 from 20, Susan Pettitt four from six and Bassett nine from 12 during her first-half appearance.
Te Paea Selby-Rickit was best for the Silver Ferns with 24 from 28.
The player of the match was Australian Liz Watson.
“We put everything out there in those last four games”