JY111

Object ID

JY111

Type

Jersey

Rights Holder

CIC

Provenance

Zimbabwe RU

Season

1981-1982

Description

Jersey, Zimbabwe XV, 1982. White and green hoops with gold lion of the RHODESIA Rugby Union on a green background. White underscore. White "RHODESIA" lettering above the motif is obscured by green stitching. Black No17 with white edging on back. Swansea tour to Zimbabwe 1982.

Info

This jersey was worn by a player in the Zimbabwe side that played twice against the touring Swansea RFC club in May 1982 on the 'All Whites' tour of that country. A ground braking tour, it was undertaken in difficult circumstances with the newly independent Zimbabwe government challenging the qualification of a couple of Swansea players for visas, they each having recently visited South Africa. The political awkwardness of that situation was overcome and the tour went ahead, but with one match removed due to the delay. Four matches were played on the tour: the first two in Bulaweyo against Mashonaland and then the Zimbabwe national side, were won by Swansea. The last two matches were against Mashonaland and a second match with the Zimbabwe national team, both games played in Harare. The first was won and the Zimbabwe match drawn. The special significance of this jersey is that the viewer can see the "Rhodesia" name sewn over as the Zimbabwe nation was new and no new jerseys had yet been ordered, the team not wishing to play under the name of the old colonial title. See also Player reminiscences (Roger Blyth - Zimbabwe tour of 1982).