LVMH-backed R.M. Williams named ‘official bootmaker’ to Australian rugby team

The four-year partnership will see Wallabies players and staff wearing R.M.Williams’ iconic Craftsmen boot, made from a specialist ‘one-piece-of-leather’ construction. It will form the footwear contingent of their corporate team uniform worn off the field.

Qantas Australian Men’s and Women’s Sevens teams and the Australian U20s team will also receive the boots. Many of the Qantas Wallabies such as Captain Stephen Moore and Ben McCalman have grown up wearing R.M. Williams’ boots, said the Australian Rugby Union (ARU) in a statement.

"It's great to welcome an organisation like R.M.Williams into our family. Like the Wallabies, the R.M.Williams brand encapsulates the Aussie spirit of hard work and determination,” said John Nicholl, General Manager – Commercial, ARU.

"We are delighted to partner with Australian Rugby Union. We look forward to custom fitting each of the team and staff members with our iconic on piece leather Craftsman boots, made in our Adelaide workshop,” said Raju Vuppalapati, CEO, R.M. Williams.

In 2015, fashion retailer Sportscraft also inked a five-year partnership with the ARU outfitting the Wallabies off the field with tailoring and smart-casual apparel. Sports brand Aasics supplies the players’ footwear and uniforms on the field.

By Benjamin Fitzgerald