Wales to play in black

Part of 125 celebration

Wales will wear black jerseys when they play Fiji and Australia this November. It is part of the 125 celebrations of the Welsh Rugby Union.

It will be the first time that Wales will play against one of the other founder members of the International Rugby Board in a colour other than red.

Wales have from time to time played in green, white or black to avoid colour clashes but not against one of the other seven founder members - England, Scotland, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand, France or Australia.

The full kit is predominantly black, but features both red and white markings across the shoulders and is matched with black shorts and white socks.

2006 will commemorate the first international match played by Wales and the founding of the Welsh Rugby Union.

The first Test was an inauspicious start for Wales's entry into international rugby. They played England on Mr Richardson's field in Blackheath on 19 February 1881.

England won by seven goals, one dropped goal and six tries to nil - 82-0 by modern reckoning! There were also eleven touchdowns in defence, 'minors' as they were called, which were a part of reckoning winners at one stage in rugby football.

The Welsh side was a haphazard affair and probably not representatives of Welsh rugby ability at all. The team, which fell under the aegis of the South Wales Football Union, was the creation of Richard Mullock of Newport as it was only a month after the match that the first meeting, held at the Castle Hotel in Neath, got the Welsh Rugby Union going.

Mullock, who was elected the body's its first secretary, was highly regarded for his organisational skills, got the match going when he sent a letter to the RFU. He organised a trial, which did not take place, and the side arrived at Blackheath two players short. Substitutes were found at the field to fill their places. One of those who did not arrive, JE Brooks of Pontypridd, found out only after the match that he had been expected to play.

To add to the problems, the day chosen for the match - it was the only day the RFU made available and was accepted by Mullock - was the day of a semi-final cup-tie between Swansea and Llanelli.

The team is sometimes referred to as Mullock's private army.

Richard Summers played in that match and said of their outfit: "We played in ordinary, light walking boots with a bar of leather across the sole to help us swerve. Jerseys were fitted high at the neck with serge blue knickers fastened below the knee with four or five buttons. We changed at the Princess of Wales public house nearby."

In view of the "celebratory black" against Australia, it may be worth noting that the first Welsh captain was born in Australia. James Bevan was born in Caulfield, Victoria, on 15 April 1858.

His parents, who were born and bred in Wales, drowned in the Bay of Biscay when their ship sank. Bevan returned to the UK and was educated at Hereford Cathedral School and Cambridge where he won a Blue. He became a clergyman and the father of 13 children, six of whom became clergymen.

Steve Lewis, the WRU's CEO said: "We are all looking forward to the first opportunity to see Mike Ruddock's side play in this new kit against Fiji and hopefully to witnessing a start for Wales in black.

"It's also fitting that in our 125th season, we will face the mighty Wallabies for the first time in a change strip and who knows, if Mike and captain Gareth Thomas can engineer a first win over the Aussies since 1987, we may decide to make a habit of it."