Fiji Rugby Shirt 1952 Tour

Fiji Rugby Shirt 1952 Tour. Our inspiration. The Ellis Rugby Rugby Shirt is inspired by the famous alternative Fiji Rugby Shirt 1952 Tour team who visited Australia captained by Apakuki Tuitava.

The first-ever visit of a Fijian touring side to Australia took place in the summer of 1952. In fact, this tour originally comprised 9 matches. Including appearances on Sydney Cricket Ground for a match against New South Wales. Plus, a historic first test against Australia on July 26th, 1952.

However, the tour proved to be an enormous commercial success. As a result, the decision was taken to add an additional test match. Furthermore, this was at the end of the tour on August 9th at Sydney Cricket Ground.

Fiji learned lessons from their First Test defeat 15-9. And in this second test, they were in front at half-time by 9 points to 6. In an incredible finish, Fiji unexpectedly defeated the Wallabies by 17 points to 15. The perfect end to a remarkable historic tour.

The star of the Fiji team was the sensational 21-year old winger Josefa Levula. He stood at 6ft 2in. Furthermore, he weighed 14 stones. Also, he was the Fiji 220-yard sprint champion. He’d made a name for himself scoring two tries in Fiji’s test against the NZ Maoris. And was chosen as one of the year’s best five players in the 1952 Rugby Almanack of New Zealand. Prior to the First Test Jo Levula had already scored 7 tries in his 6 matches.

In 1961, Jo Levula left rugby union. And went to England to join the Rochdale Hornets rugby league team. Along with fellow Fijian Orisi Dawai. And they were later joined by Fijians Voate Drui and Liatia Ravouvou. Levula later joined the Bradford Northern a few years later. He was inducted into the Fiji Sports Hall of Fame in 1990.