St Helen’s ArchivePreserving the past for the future

Jerseys

There are well over 100 jerseys in the St Helen’s Archive. The standing of the St Helen’s ground as a major international rugby venue from 1882 to 1954 has enriched the collection with many examples from the representative teams that have played on the famous pitch. The earliest jerseys date from 1891 and there are examples through the years right into the 21st century. The Swansea club’s historical position as a worthy opponent to so many touring teams has endowed the jersey collection with wonderful additions from all over the world, both club and international. Swansea’s touring record abroad stands alongside any club in the world and again the jersey collection has benefitted from the club’s activities abroad.

The large and varied accumulation of jerseys can never be adequately represented in a physical display. Now for the first time, the jersey collection as a whole can be viewed on this website. Some of the earliest examples are now too fragile to bear up to being on display in cabinets. Many of these jerseys have been swapped post-match by renowned players on each team. Some have been gifted by various clubs and unions and others donated by their proud owners or their families. All are recorded here.

The origin numbers on jerseys

Numbering on the back of rugby jerseys began in a haphazard fashion. New Zealand and Queensland wore numbered jerseys in 1897 on the former’s first tour abroad. The arrangement was 1 to 15 starting at the full-back. Match programmes carried the numbers on the team lists to aid spectators’ recognition of the players. Australia quickly followed suit and wore numbers against New Zealand in 1903 and the British Isles tourists in 1904, in the latter case, the number system being reversed and the full-back wearing 15.

The ‘first’ All Blacks again wore numbers on their British tour in 1905 and when they played Wales on 16th December 1905 both teams wore numbers, the Welsh team for the first time. On this occasion both full-backs wore the number 1 jersey. South Africa soon played in numbers and did so on their British tour of 1906.

The system varied as rugby unions tried to outwit pirate match programme producers and make only the official programme worth purchasing. Other variations included the changing of numbers 6 and 7, especially in South Africa and Argentina. With British and Irish national teams having number 8 reserved for the loose head prop and New Zealand using a 15 jersey, no unified system was in place. For a number of years Welsh international jerseys went up to 16, thus avoiding the number 13! In the 1930s letters were also in vogue. The St Helen’s collection sports more than one example of Welsh jerseys with letters on the back.

Clubs followed the international penchant for changing the numbering system, Swansea adopting numbers permanently in the 1930s. Other clubs, notably Bath. Leicester and Bristol adopted different lettering systems. But by 1967 the IRB system of numbers was the adopted standard: Full-back – 15, Three-quarters – 11-14, Outside-half – 10, Scrum-half – 9, back row – 6-8, second row – 4 & 5, front row – 1-3, with replacements from 16-23.

JY001

Jersey, Wales, J Idwal Rees - 1938

JY002

Jersey, NSW Waratahs - 1908-09

JY003

Jersey, Fiji, Rasiosateki Petero - 1964

JY004

Jersey, Scotland, Ian Thomason - 1952

JY005

Jersey, England, Vic Roberts - 1951

JY006

Jersey, Argentina, Carlos Neyra - 1976

JY007

Jersey, Ireland, Walter Bornemann - 1960

JY008

Jersey, Scotland, Archie Gracie - 1923

JY009

Jersey, Ireland, George Stephenson - 1924

JY010

Jersey, British Isles, Dai Parker - 1930

JY011

Jersey, France, Robert Soro - 1948

JY012

Jersey, Italian State Police RFC - 1972

JY013

Jersey, S.P. Pau

JY014

Jersey, AZKG Prague - 1966-67

JY015

Jersey, Harlequins - 1970s

JY016

Jersey, London Counties

JY017

Jersey, Chingford RFC Colts

JY018

Jersey, Japan - 1973

JY019

Jersey, France - 1908

JY020

Jersey, Waikato RFC - 1989

JY021

Jersey, Cambridge URFC, Rowe Harding - 1924-27

JY022

Jersey, Ranji Walker's XV - 1950s

JY023

Jersey, Cambridge URFC, Clem Thomas - 1949

JY024

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2002-03

JY025

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2002-03

JY026

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2002-03

JY027

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2003-04

JY028

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2003-04

JY029

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 1996-97

JY030

Jersey, Fiji - 1973

JY031

Jersey, France, Jean-Pierre Bastiat - 1975

JY032

Jersey, Barbarians, Mervyn Davies - 1970s

JY033

Jersey, Australia, Alan Skinner - 1969

JY034

Jersey, Scotland, Duncan Patterson or Dougie Morgan - 1969-76

JY035

Jersey, Ponsonby, NZ - 1963

JY036

Jersey, Barbarians - 1970s

JY037

Jersey, Natal Rugby Union - Centenary - 1990

JY038

Jersey, King Country, NZ - Colin Meads

JY039

Jersey, Australia, Enrique Rodriguez - 1984

JY040

Jersey, Wales - 1980s

JY041

Polo shirt, Wales Hockey U15s - 1980s-90s

JY042

Training Jersey, Ireland,  - RWC 2015

JY043

Running shirt, Rev. Pete Orphan, Paralympic Games - 2012

JY044

Running shirt, Rev. Pete Orphan, 10K Run - 2014

JY045

Jersey, Wales, Robin McBryde - 2003

JY046

Jersey, British Army RFC - 2016-17

JY047

Jersey, NZ Club, Unidentified

JY048

Jersey, Maesteg RFC -1990s

JY049

Jersey, Matamata College, NZ, Kevin McGill - 1974

JY050

Jersey, Wales, Dickie Owen - 1904-10

JY051

Jersey, Wales - 1930-49

JY052

Jersey, England, 1980 - Paul Dodge

JY053

Jersey, France, Didier Cordoniou - 1980

JY054

Jersey, Wales, Dai Richards - WRU Centenary 1981

JY055

Jersey, South Africa - 1980

JY056

Jersey, Romania, Mihai Marghescu - 1983

JY057

Jersey, Ireland, Freddie McLennan - 1981

JY058

Jersey, Scotland, Jim Renwick - 1981

JY059

Jersey, France, Didier Cordoniou - 1981

JY060

Jersey, New Zealand, Bruce Robertson - 1980

JY061

Jersey, New Zealand Maoris, Steve Pokere - 1982

JY062

Jersey, British & Irish Lions, Dai Richards - 1980

JY063

Jersey, Fiji, Apenisa Tokairavu - 1973

JY064

Jersey, Swansea, Dai Richards - 1985

JY065

Jersey, Ireland, Herbert Aston - 1908

JY066

Jersey, Midland Counties - 1947-50

JY067

Jersey, British Army, John Leleu - 1950

JY068

Jersey, England/Wales, Rowe Harding - 1923

JY069

Jersey, Ponsonby, NZ - 1974

JY070

Jersey, England/Wales, Dai Parker - 1930

JY071

Jersey, England, Adrian Stoop - 1911

JY072

Jersey, England/Wales, John Faull - 1959

JY073

Jersey, President's XV, RFU Centenary - 1971

JY074

Jersey, Wales, Phil Llewellyn - 1973

JY075

Jersey, England - 1930s

JY076

Jersey, Royal Navy Rugby Team, Haydn Mainwaring -1955

Jy077

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 2006-07

JY078

Jersey, Wales, Claude Davey - 1936

Jy079

Jersey, Wales, Watcyn Thomas - 1933

JY080

Jersey, Natal Rugby Union - Centenary - 1990

JY081

Jersey, South Africa, Albie Bates - 1969-70

JY082

Jersey, South Africa - 1980

JY083

Jersey, Australia - 1957

JY084

Jersey, New Zealand - "Invincibles" 1924

JY085

Replica Jersey, New Zealand - 1905

JY086

Jersey, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Jonny Smith - 1945

JY087

Jersey, New Zealand, Reuben Collins - 1935

JY088

Jersey, New Zealand, Macolm Dick - 1963

JY089

Jersey, New Zealand, Ian Kirkpatrick - 1972

JY090

Jersey, New Zealand Maoris, Bruce Hemara - 1982

JY091

New Zealand Secondary Schools Rugby Union, 1984-85

JY092

Jersey, New Zealand, Ron Williams - 1989

JY093

Jersey, New Zealand - RWC 2015

JY094

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 1984

JY095

Jersey, Swansea RFC, Stuart Davies - 1992

JY096

Jersey, Wales, Mervyn Davies - 1969-76

JY097

Jersey, British & Irish Lions, Mervyn Davies - 1971

JY098

Jersey, Swansea RFC, Mervyn Davies - SRFC Rugby Centenary 1973-74

JY099

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 1979-91

JY100

Jersey, Swansea RFC - 150th Season 2022-23

JY101

Jersey, London Welsh, Mervyn Davies - 1968-72

JY102

Jersey, Urdd Gobiath Cymru, Mervyn Davies - 1972

JY103

Jersey, England, possibly Andy Ripley - 1970s

JY104

Jersey, British & Irish Lions, Mervyn Davies - 1974

JY105

Jersey, Ireland - 1970s

JY106

Jersey, Japan, Oshihiro Murata - 1973

JY107

Jersey, France, Felix Lasserre - 1923

JY108

Jersey, Wales - Dan Baker - 2013

JY109

Jersey, Wales, Dickie Owen - 1912

JY110

Jersey, France, Jean Clement - 1923

JY111

Jersey, Zimbabwe - 1982

JY112

Jersey, Sydney Rugby Union - 1984

JY113

Jersey, Colonna RFC, Italy - 1985

JY114

Jersey, Wales, Joe Rees - 1924

JY115

Jersey, British Isles, John Faull - 1959

JY116

Jersey, England, Tom Voyce - 1924

JY117

Jersey Scotland/Ireland, Willie John McBride - SRU Centenary 1972-73

JY118

Jersey, France, Jean Barthe - 1957

JY119

Jersey, Wales XV, John Faull - 1957

JY120

Jersey, Ireland, Willie John McBride - 1975

JY121

Jersey, Wales, Dai Samuel - 1891

JY122

Jersey, Wales - Japan tour 1975

JY123

Jersey, Matamata College - 1974

JY124

Jersey, Ponsonby RFC, NZ - 1976

JY125

Jersey, Swansea Schools Rugby Union - 1976

JY126

Jersey, Australia, Damian Smith - 1992

JY127

Jersey, Swansea RFC v Barbarians - 2023

JY128

Jersey, Barbarians - SRFC 150th season 2023

JY129

Jersey, Sweden, Tour to Wales - 1982

JY130

Jersey, Wales, Roger Blyth - 1975

JY131

Jersey, Ranji Walker's XV - 1950s

JY132

Jersey, Boys' Club of Wales, Owain Bale - 1968

JY133

Jersey, Barbarians. 

Colin Charvis:1999-2000

JY134

Jersey, New Zealand

Richard McCaw: 2003-2004

JY135

Jersey, South Africa

Pedrie Wannenburg: 2003-2004

JY136

Jersey, Wales, 125th Anniversary 

Colin Charvis: 2005-2006

JY137

Jersey, Wales

Colin Charvis: 1999-2000

JY138

Jersey, Swansea.

Colin Charvis: 1995-1996

JY139

Jersey, Swansea Women's RFC, Keira Bevan 2016-2017

JY140

Jersey, Wales Women, Helen Carey, 1986-1987