Nauru is the world's smallest republic but their passion for rugby looms large and their under-18 boys sevens team hopes to show it.
The young squad will play in the World School Sevens tournament this weekend with All Black Akira Ioane on hand at training today to present jerseys to the players.
The flanker joked he was given a run for his money.
“I thought we were just playing touch but you can see how much it means to them,” Ioane said.
Nauru, an island that stretches 21 kilometres, is home to just 11,000 people and a three-hour flight from Fiji. They've have been enjoying a season of firsts ahead of their campaign this weekend.
“Takapuna Grammar were kind enough to let us lie on the grass for half an hour,” coach Jone Caginilotu said.
After all, back home the players would train either at the beach or on gravel.
“Nauru is known for phosphate so there’s no soil, we train on phosphate,” Caginilotu said.
In another first, the squad is the first age-group team to travel to play sevens outside of the island after fundraising and government support helped them get to New Zealand.
It’s a new sport for the majority of these players who mostly represent Nauru in Aussie Rules.
On Monday though, the team makes their way to Fiji for another tournament there with hopes to bring a girls team on tour next year.