TONGA 1924 RUGBY SHIRT

Name: TONGA 1924 RUGBY SHIRT
SKU: BB1871_RS_TONG
Availability: InStock

£120.00

Chest Size

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SKU: BB1871_RS_TONG Categories: Rugby Shirts, International Shirts

Description

The Tonga 1924 vintage rugby shirt is made with a heavyweight slub cotton which gives the shirt a hard wearing yet soft and comfortable finish. This heritage ‘old school’ shirt combines vintage colour dyes with a distressed wash to produce a nicely worn-in look and feel. The Tonga 1924 rugby shirt is completed with the embroidered logo and the date of the first international match.

SIZE GUIDE

FEATURES

Heavy duty 100% slub cotton

380gsm

Embroidered Tonga logo with the date of their first International Test Match

Embroidered 1871 detailing on the back of the neck

Reinforced hems

Two rubber button placket

Machine washable

Made in Portugal

DETAILS

The Tonga 1924 rugby union team was the first international rugby team to represent the island nation of Tonga. The team was made up of players from the Tongan royal family and other members of high society, as well as a few European expatriates living in Tonga at the time.

The team travelled to New Zealand in 1924 to play a series of matches against local clubs and regional representative teams. Despite facing much larger and more experienced opposition, the Tongans acquitted themselves well, winning several of their matches and earning the respect of their opponents.

One of the most notable performances of the tour came in a match against the Auckland Province team, in which the Tongans won 6-0. This victory was particularly significant as it was the first time a team from Tonga had ever defeated a team from New Zealand.

The tour also saw the Tongans play against the All Blacks, the national team of New Zealand. Although they were defeated by the All Blacks, the Tongans impressed with their physicality and skill on the field.

The 1924 tour was a significant event in the history of rugby in Tonga, as it helped to establish the sport as a popular and respected pastime in the country. It also served to raise the profile of Tonga on the international stage and helped to pave the way for future generations of Tongan rugby players to compete at the highest levels of the sport.

Known as ‘Ikale Tahi’ which means “Sea Eagles” in English. The team is governed by the Tonga Rugby Union, which is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) and the International Rugby Board (IRB). Tonga has been playing international rugby since the 1930s and has competed in every Rugby World Cup since 1987.