'Sworn to secrecy': Special detail in star's jersey as Wallabies unveil Lions 2025 strip
Updated . First published at
Dylan Pietsch started designing his Wallabies jersey during last year's ill-fated Rugby World Cup.
At the time Pietsch was yet to play a Test for his country, instead touring Europe with Australia A and the Barbarians.
"It was a weird feeling. Every time someone would ask me about it I'd just kind of brush it off," Pietsch told reporters at the jersey unveiling in Sydney on Tuesday.
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Dylan Pietsch poses during the Wallabies jersey launch for the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour. Getty
"It's really cool to be able to do it and then throughout the whole time like, 'oh, you could potentially be playing' and it's like, 'oh, yeah, no, maybe'."
Any chance of impostor syndrome has now been buried.
Pietsch, a proud Wiradjuri man, made his Wallabies debut against Wales in July and got his first start on the wing against the All Blacks in September.
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The Wallabies show off Dylan Pietsch's design. Rugby Australia
His design will be worn by the players against the British and Irish Lions next year.
The centre of the artwork features a wallaby and a lion, presented as "a battle underpinned by respect."
"I'm a really proud man," Pietsch said.
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"It's always what I've wanted to be doing since I was little, just to play for the Wallabies. I wouldn't have deemed my career a success without being a Wallaby.
"So it's a really proud moment for me and once you get a sniff, you want to take the rest of it...
"I only told a couple of people that were sworn to secrecy (about the design).
The Wallabies jersey launch for the 2025 British & Irish Lions Tour at The Royal Botanic Gardens. Getty
"Respect is a big thing in Aboriginal culture, respecting the land, respecting family, respecting each other.
"So I really wanted to paint the lion and the wallaby on the same level of respect and realise that although we're competitors at the end of the day, it's a really special thing for Australia."
Pietsch and the Wallabies will fly to London on Thursday to prepare for the opening Spring Tour Test against England on November 10 (AEDT).
