Capturing rugby Culture: Rugby Journal 30

The brief from Rugby Journal was simple: capture the club, its spirit, and its people. But from the moment I stepped onto that pitch next to White Hart Lane, it was clear that this was more than a sports assignment, it was a celebration of diversity, inclusion and cultural portrait of a section of the Haringey community.

Rhinos are unusual because they reflect a version of rugby that most of the country never gets to see. The team is built on heritage, laughter, and solidarity. Players from Nigeria, Jamaica, Tajikistan, China, and Wales, all running together, celebrating together, supporting the next generation of local kids who play completely free thanks to community sponsorship. The Rhinos reminded me why I photograph sport at all. It's not the scoreboard, it's the soul. It’s the strength of a coach raising a diverse community to a sea of unity. It's the young player called up to captain for the first time. It's the elder players returning, pint in hand, remembering European tours from decades past.