Lloyd McDermott has had a successful life.

In 1962 he was the first Indigenous person to represent Australia in rugby union.

Ten years later he was admitted to the Bar in New South Wales and eventually became Australia's first Indigenous lawyer.

He says he has three loves in his life — his family and fellow Indigenous people, the law and rugby union.

On Saturday, the Wallabies will become the first Australian team to wear an Indigenous-inspired jersey when they face the All Blacks in Brisbane.

The design by Denis Goulding depicts 14 Wallabies of various sizes, with one Wallaby for each Indigenous player that has played at Test level.

There is one that is for McDermott.

Holding the jersey in his 77-year-old hands, there is a look of pride on his face.

"This has really done Aboriginal Australia proud. I think there is a bigger picture apart from honouring the Indigenous Wallabies," he says.

Lloyd McDermott was the first Indigenous lawyer in Australia. ( AAP: Dan Himbrechts )

"It is a signal that Aboriginal people have really earnt their place on the sporting field, and are an equal part in sporting competitions."

Society is completely different from when Lloyd played for his country back in the 1960s.

He famously withdrew from the 1963 tour of South Africa as he did not want to play as an "honorary white" under the Apartheid system.

Australia's 14 Indigenous Wallabies Cecil Ramalli

Cecil Ramalli Lloyd McDermott

Lloyd McDermott Mark Ella

Mark Ella Glen Ella

Glen Ella Gary Ella

Gary Ella Lloyd Walker

Lloyd Walker Andrew Walker

Andrew Walker Jim Williams

Jim Williams Wendell Sailor

Wendell Sailor Timana Tahu

Timana Tahu Anthony Faingaa

Anthony Faingaa Saia Faingaa

Saia Faingaa Kurtley Beale

Kurtley Beale Matt Hodgson

It was a strong statement that is still talked about today, and McDermott says that his culture is what has driven him to succeed throughout his life.

He now sees similar traits in the Indigenous sports stars of today.

"Without being an Aborigine maybe I might not have wanted to show white Australia that I was as good as them," he said.

"It inspired me and I know it inspires a lot of other young players to achieve at a higher level."

Only 14 Indigenous players have reached the highest level of Australian rugby. It is by no means a huge number.

In rugby league, there are more than 30 Indigenous Kangaroos representatives, and McDermott said the rival code has had an impact on the numbers.

"Some of our potential Wallabies are being swallowed up by the rugby league scouts, in particular Dane Gagai started off, and I think Will Chambers was the same," he said.

"There could have been more, but let's keep on being positive and hope there's some new fellas coming through."

Kurtley Beale is the only current Indigenous Wallaby. ( AAP: Paul Miller )

Kurtley Beale is the only Indigenous player in the Bledisloe Cup squad for Saturday.

The match will be his 67th Test for Australia and he said it would be one of the most special.

Beale will get the chance to literally wear his culture on his sleeve, and he said the statement was bound to have a positive effect on young Indigenous kids watching.

"It's something that I hold close to my heart. To be able represent a lot of Indigenous communities out there, hopefully I can do them proud," he said.

"By the ARU having a relationship with a lot of the communities, I think it's going to definitely be having an impact on a lot of the young boys and girls out there to hopefully one day be a Wallaby."