Inside the sacred space of the Fijian Dressing Room

Many kids grow up dreaming of being selected in a National sporting team and one of the most sacred spaces of any sporting teams, particularly Rugby teams, is the Dressing Room.

Every dressing room is different but no matter what level you play at - be it for the National team or your local 4th grade side - those minutes in the shed before running onto the field can be the most intense of times.

I remember when I first heard the singing coming from the sheds of the Fijian National team several years ago. Impossibly melodic and sung with the skill of a church choir, I couldn't believe it was being sung by 22 men about to take to the rugby field of a Test match. This is a tradition amongst the Fijian Rugby team and it is sung before each Test match.

It's too good not to share and the Fijian Team were great this year in allowing our photographer extraordinaire, Bruce Southwick, into the sheds to film what I think is something special - check out all the big units wiping the tears at the end of the song. Bruce has added some images of the Fijian team at this years IRB Pacific Nations Cup to put this little compilation together. Enjoy.

This is Rugby Country: Day 6

Location: Nadi Town
Time: 1.30pm

School's out and I found these 'Kaji' rugby players practicing their kicking skills. Is the next Nicky Little amongst them?

This is Rugby country: Day 4

 Location: TD Naciqa Park, Nadi
Time: 12.00pm

It's not the state of the pitch that keeps them away. Yesterday this park was heaving with local rugby. Give a kid some open space in Fiji and you give them a stage.

Sunday in Fiji = no rugby. Sunday is for Church and family.

This is Rugby Country: Day 3

Location: Lautoka
Time: 11.30am

This little fella was watching his dad play in the local competition. Whilst all eyes were on the Test Match just around the corner at Churchill Park later in the afternoon between Tonga and Fiji, local rugby continued normal services and the park around Lautoka were humming with rugby and netball.

You wouldn't have got the ball off this little kid with a crow bar.