The first reference books on Australian Rugby History are the provincial annuals (NSW and Queensland). The “New South Wales Rugby Football Union annual” dates back to at least 1900-1901. These early editions are exceptionally rare and highly sought after by collectors. They would have provided the vital records of the burgeoning rugby scene in the state.

While specific “annuals” might have varied in their consistent publication throughout the 20th century due to factors like wars and the rise of Rugby League, the concept of an annual review has continued.

The Australian Almanac (spelt differently from the NZ Almanack) was first published in 1956. The most notable run of the “Australian Rugby Union Almanac” began in 1959, covering the results and events of the previous year (e.g., the 1959 almanac covered 1958). These ran through to 1973, with slight name changes such as Australian Rugby Yearbook. They then became sporadic with many years between some editions.

Comprehensive histories and overviews then became prevalent with books such as “The Wallabies: A Definitive History of Australian Test Rugby” by Maxwell Howell, Lingyu Xie, Bensley Wilkes, “Wallaby Gold: The History of Australian Test Rugby” by Peter Jenkins, and The Rugby Game by Pollard.