Dylan Pietsch says rugby must do more to lure Indigenous talent

Dylan Pietsch holds immense pride in his status as the 15th Indigenous man to represent the Wallabies, but it’s also a source of frustration for the flyer.

Being the 15th Indigenous Wallaby is a source of both pride and frustration for Dylan Pietsch.

“I really want that to be a big driver in not just having 15, I think having 15 Indigenous Wallabies isn’t that great as a code to have,” he said.

When he looks around at the hundreds of Indigenous players who have made their names in the NRL and AFL, Pietsch is determined to raise the participation levels in rugby.

Australia's Dylan Pietsch is determined to raise the Indigenous participation levels in rugby. Picture: Andrew Kearns - CameraSport via Getty Images

“I feel like rugby union is definitely developing in that area and throughout this past probably two years we’ve taken some leaps in that area,” said Pietsch, who is a noted Indigenous artist outside his time in camp with the Wallabies and Western Force.

“I do feel a bit of responsibility, and being the 15th Indigenous Wallaby was one of the proudest moments of my career by far and I’ve said it before, I hope that me being the 15th creates another 30, another 50.

“I feel like we should be having so much more, so I’m trying to put things in place and here at the Force we’re doing awesome jobs and trying to create programs and pathways for kids to be able to do that.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a weight on my shoulders because I really enjoy doing it, it’s definitely something that I love to do.”

Dylan Pietsch in action for the Western Force against the British & Irish Lions. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images

Beyond his on-field prowess, Pietsch has emerged as a significant cultural ambassador for Australian rugby, notably through his pivotal role in designing Indigenous-inspired jerseys for the British & Irish Lions Australian tour.

His work is featured in the jerseys of the Force, NSW Waratahs, and First Nations Pasifika teams to play the British & Irish Lions on this tour.

Andy Muirhead selected for First Nations & Pasifika XV officially reveals the jersey to be worn by his team against the British & Irish Lions. Picture: Tim Carrafa

“In terms of the Lions, they were really respectful with everything they did and they made sure that everything they put out was something that had a lot of integrity behind it which I really loved about the Lions and the whole tour,” he said.

“It’s awesome and they’re really open to that, the Lion’s staff are very open in that area and want to learn and they want to do everything in the right way so it’s really cool to see other people from other countries coming and respecting our culture really well.”

Pietsch also spoke passionately about NAIDOC Week, a period dedicated to celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

For him, it’s a crucial opportunity to showcase the richness and beauty of Aboriginal culture through various forms, including dance, song, and art.

Pete Samu, Izaia Perese, Kurtley Beale and Tom Wright participate an Indigenous smoking ceremony during the Wallabies 2022 Indigenous Jersey Launch. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

Pietsch envisions a future where respect for Indigenous culture transcends specific commemorative weeks, becoming an ingrained part of everyday Australian identity.

“NAIDOC week’s awesome, it’s just respecting Aboriginal culture and having that week and really seeing the shining light of how beautiful Aboriginal culture is and through dance, through song, through art, through really connecting culture and it’s awesome to see through NAIDOC week how many people connect to that,” he said.

Ultimately, Pietsch’s message to Australia regarding Indigenous culture is one of simplicity and sincerity: “There’s a lot of stuff going on but I feel like it just comes down to being respectful and being genuine about wanting to learn. That’s all you can do as a person and there’s no one’s asking you to be this over the top ally, you’ve just got to respect and want to learn about Aboriginal culture.

“It’s not like you’ve got to ingrain yourself and be Aboriginal, you’ve just got to learn and have respect for what’s become before you, because there’s so many beautiful things and so much beautiful artwork in caves and they’re thousands of years old, tens of thousands of years old, so if you have an open mind on things it’s probably the biggest thing.”

Originally published as Dylan Pietsch says rugby must do more to lure Indigenous talent