When Both States Wore Blue

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

The most interesting period in the inter-colonial matches between NSW and Queensland is from 1892 to 1894 - when both colonies (states) wore blue!

In a two team competition why would both be wearing variations of the same colour? How could that seem acceptable - and last for three seasons?

In 1892 why would NSW be so specific about ordering "Cambridge blue" jerseys? Surely anything but blue would have been the appropriate choice.

Cambridge and Oxford are England's two oldest and most famous Universities. They have a strong 'rugby tradition' and have been meeting in an annual on-field clash since 1872. Over half the players in the 1872 match came from the famous Rugby School where the game originated.

In this annual clash the two sides take the field in BLUE! Oxford University in dark blue, Cambridge University in light blue and white hoops. The 'blues' concept originated in 1836 for the Thames boat races between the two universities.

In the early 1890s many, if not all, of the key decision makers in the NSWRU and QRU would have attended one of these universities. Continuing the 'blue' tradition in their playing colours would have made perfect sense. The exporting of the blue colour from Cambridge and/or Oxford to sporting bodies, schools and institutions across the world in the late 1800s created a blue legion - the legacy of which remains with us today.

When Queensland played in dark blue in 1886 they may have adopted 'Oxford blue'. Did their use of the dark blue force NSW into their now traditional light blue, so determined was NSW to wear either 'blue'? Or did they prefer to follow Cambridge?

The NSWRU were very specific when ordering their 'Cambridge blue' jerseys for 1892. They had to be imported from England (as all were at the time) so errors were to be avoided if time was to be saved. Wouldn't it have been easier to have simply ordered 'light blue' or any non-blue colour?

For three seasons the NSW and Queensland sides battled in the colours of Cambridge and Oxford. Queensland may not have done so deliberately - but NSW it seems almost certainly did.

For some reason Queensland changed to a deep red or maroon jersey in 1895 - though it seems the use of navy blue shorts continued.

Were Queensland tired of NSW's insistence on also wearing blue jerseys? Was there some criticism that copying an English university tradition did not belong in Queensland and/or the about to be federated Australia? Is there any Oxford/Cambridge link to the use of maroon?

By 1897 (perhaps even in 1892) the NSW playing strip was a combination of 'the blues' of Oxford and Cambridge. It was specified in the Annual Report as: 'light-blue jersey and stockings (socks) and navy-blue pants'.

The mix of 'Cambridge and Oxford blues' is still worn today by the NSWRL Blues and NSWRU Waratahs.

References.
Sean Fagan, "Pioneers of Rugby League"
Ian Diehm, "Red! Red! Red! The Story of Queensland Rugby"
NSWRU / ARU archives