Back in Black: Easts to Pay Homage to a 125 Year Legacy
- Easts Rugby
- 35 minutes ago
- 3 min read
By Angus Hayman
When Easts run out against Sydney Uni on August 2, the jerseys they don will speak louder than words.
It’ll be a return to black, an intentional, striking tribute to the very beginning of Beasties rugby. Before red, white, and blue ever coloured Woollahra Oval, the club’s pioneers took the field in black jerseys with white shorts in 1900, the year of its founding, while waiting for their official colours to arrive from England.
That original jersey is a symbol of identity, simplicity, and necessity. And it’s back, once again, to celebrate 125 years of Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union.
The clash against Sydney Uni is exponentially becoming one of the great rivalries in club rugby, but this year’s fixture is poised to be something even bigger. Easts will mark the occasion with a full day of heritage celebrations, a blockbuster rugby schedule at Woollahra, and a British and Irish Lions viewing party under the stars.
But it’s the jumper itself that carries a special weight.
This is not the first time the black jersey has been revived, with the idea originally conceived in 1990. At that time, then-head of the board, Michael Rowles, posed a simple yet powerful question: “Why don’t we play in black jumpers?” It was the 90th anniversary of the club, and the date, May 19th, matched exactly the date of Easts' first-ever game, played in 1900 against Glebe at the SCG.
That commemorative fixture, played against Manly at Woollahra Oval, turned out to be a historic moment in its own right. Coach Greg Smith, who would later lead the Wallabies, was at the helm. The manager? John McKay, who would go on to manage the 1999 World Cup-winning Wallabies. The players on the paddock that day read like a club honour roll: Captain Scott Van Houten, Tim Gavin, Michael Brial, Dave Wiggin, Paul Jeff, Mark Bakewell, Ian Eskdale, and Jone Kubu, all of whom would go on to play more than 100 first-grade games for Easts.
It was a day that wasn’t just about remembering the past; it simply added to it.
Kubu, along with Vakandranu and Vatubua, had already represented Fiji on the international stage. The squad was stacked with future legends, and yet it was still connected to an even older lineage. The club patron at the time, Purse Newton, still holds the record for most first-grade appearances with a staggering 264 matches in the Beasties jersey. That’s not just longevity. That’s legacy stitched in all black.
And they did the jersey proud. Easts ran out 29 to 6 winners that day in 1990, proving the old colours had plenty of new fire.
August 2nd marks a celebration not just about history, but it’s about pride and the successes of people within the club. And this year, it’s going to be massive.
First, there’s the rugby. Easts and Sydney Uni will face off across the grades in a packed Saturday schedule that always brings out the best from both clubs. Then, as First Grade wraps up, the party begins.
Easts will transform into live site for the British and Irish Lions v Wallabies Test with a giant screen set up on the grounds. Good food, drinks, live music well into the night. Whether you’re a seasoned supporter or new to the Beasties fold, it’s shaping up as one of the great days of rugby celebration this year.
It’s all about black. A jumper steeped in heritage. A rivalry steeped in tradition. A club that never forgets where it came from and always sets its sights on where it's going.
From the SCG in 1900 to Woollahra Oval in 2025, some colours never fade. They just come roaring back to life.