St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

JY039

Jersey, Australia, 1984 Tour of Britain & Ireland . Yellow with thin green double stripe on sleeves and Australian Rugby Union badge on breast. Green number 27 on back.

Jersey

CIC

Enrique Rodríguez

1984-1985

This is the jersey worn by Australian hooker Enrique 'Topo' Rodríguez in the tour match against Swansea at St Helen's on 30th October 1984. Australia won the match 17 - 7 with tries from back row David Codey, scrum-half Phil Cox, a drop goal by outside-half Mike Hawker and penalty from full-back and captain Roger Gould. Swansea replied with an Arthur Emyr try and Mark Wyatt penalty. Rodriguez was a substitute for Australia in this match. He also started in all four internationals on the tour, which Australia won. Rodríguez started his international career with Argentina, winning 13 caps for them between 1979 and 1983. He emigrated to Australia in 1984 and won 26 caps for the Wallabies between 1984 and 1987. The match at Swansea was mainly remembered because the floodlights failed with 13 minutes still to play, plunging St Helen's into darkness and preventing the completion of the match. It was adjudged an Australian win as more than half the match had been played. With injuries to Malcolm Dacey and Dai Richards affecting Swansea's selection a young half-back pairing of Aled Williams (20) and Robert Jones (19) faced the Wallabies. Jones had been Wales Schools captain the previous year. St Helen's Archive is grateful to Australian rugby collector Michael Fahey for information confirming the owner of this jersey.

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