Rugby stories are part of the fabric of the game. More often than not, the stories are told over a beer in the clubhouse, on the sideline, or in the spaces between matches. There is also a 90% that the story has been embellished, but that is part of the charm. 

Those stories are built on specific moments that collectively represent decades of showing up, giving back, and holding clubs together. Stories define grassroots rugby and keep traditions alive.

It’s exactly those kinds of stories that Bradley Mata’uiau and Locker 71 are setting out to preserve.

Stories that are part of the collective culture of our sport. This matters more than just protecting the stories of any one specific club. 

Finding Rugby Through a Different Lens

Locker 71 didn’t start as a rugby project.

It began as a media company creating content across different spaces. Everything shifted when Bradley and his team were asked to document the history of a local club.

What they found wasn’t just a project. It was a re-connection.

“Spending time there changed everything,” said Mata’uiau. “It wasn’t just about content. It was about being around a community that genuinely lives and breathes rugby. After being out of the game myself for over 10 years, it became a way to reconnect, but from a different lens.”

After more than a decade away from the game, Bradley found himself drawn back in, not as a player this time, but as a storyteller. And what stood out immediately wasn’t the rugby itself.

It was the people behind it.

“What really stuck with me were the people behind the scenes,” he explained. “The ones who don’t get the spotlight. The volunteers, the long-time members, the ones who’ve shown up every week for decades just to keep things going. That’s where the real stories are.”

That’s where Locker 71 found its purpose and he leaned right into things. From that moment, the direction was clear. What started as a one-off project became something much bigger. Club Rooms is a storytelling platform dedicated to documenting the culture, identity, and heartbeat of grassroots rugby.

The first Club Rooms episode took a look at the rich history of Ponsonby Rugby Club in Auckland. 

Why Grassroots Stories Hit Different

There’s a reason grassroots rugby resonates so deeply when it’s captured well.

As Bradley puts it: “It’s real. There’s nothing manufactured about it.”

These aren’t polished environments built for broadcast. They are living, breathing community spaces that are often shaped over generations. In places like New Zealand, the rugby club wasn’t just somewhere you played. It was where life happened.

We see the theme repeated regardless of where you are in the rugby world. Jobs are found through connections. Friendships turn into lifelong support systems. Sponsors aren’t just logos on a banner, they are local businesses woven into the club fabric.

That’s what makes grassroots rugby such a powerful storytelling environment. It’s why projects like Club Rooms (and Bottom of the Ruck) are so important. 

You don’t have to exaggerate anything.

The story is already there.

Bradley added: “That kind of ecosystem creates stories that don’t need exaggeration. They’re already powerful. And on the other side of it, every professional player started somewhere. No matter where they end up in the world, it all traces back to the grassroots.” 

More Than a Club, A Community Anchor

At Bottom of the Ruck, we talk a lot about clubs being the heartbeat of the game. What Bradley has seen reinforces something even deeper. Grassroots rugby and clubs are evolving.

“They’re still the heartbeat, but the shape of the community has changed,” he says.

Modern grassroots clubs are no longer just about rugby. They’re becoming something broader. Something more inclusive. Something more reflective of the communities around them.

“With more diverse populations now, clubs have had to evolve,” says Bradley. What I’ve seen is that the good clubs are no longer just rugby clubs. They’re becoming community hubs. Places where people feel like they belong, whether they play or not.”

“It’s less about just turning up for a game, and more about connection with families, cultures, generations all mixing in one space. That’s where their value really sits today.” 

That shift matters. If grassroots rugby is going to survive and thrive it has to be about more than the game. Rugby can bring people in the doors, but connection and purpose keeps them coming back. .

Seeing Your Club From a New Perspective

I came across Locker 71’s work via these amazing drone flyover videos of rugby clubs. They are striking videos that are visually stunning. However, what they really offer is perspective.

“Most people only ever see their club from ground level,” Bradley explains. “The drone gives you a completely different view. It almost reintroduces you to a place you thought you knew.”

Most people only ever see their club from ground level. From above, everything changes. That’s why cinematography is so important in visual media. The pitch becomes part of a wider landscape and the clubhouse feels like a landmark.

The place you’ve always known suddenly looks different. Familiar, but new.

“There’s definitely a nostalgic feeling to it, but more than anything, I want people to feel proud,” Bradley adds. “Proud of where they come from, proud of their club, and reminded of what that place has meant to them over time.” 

A reminder of what your club actually is and what it has meant to generations of people who’ve passed through it.

The People Who Keep Clubs Alive

While players come and go, there’s another group that defines every grassroots club. The ones who stayed.

Locker 71’s upcoming Club Rooms documentary series is focused squarely on highlighting those individuals. Yet another commonality that we share despite being a world apart geographically. The project casts a light on volunteers, lifetime members, and characters who’ve carried clubs through tough times.

“It’s always great meeting former pros or current players, but the stories that really matter are from the people who stayed when things got tough,” Bradley says.” The characters who bring energy and personality to the place. Those are the people who define grassroots rugby. They’re not always the loudest or most visible, but they’re the reason clubs still exist.” 

Every painted clubhouse wall. The pitches that get lined every weekend. Chefs that work the grill to feed everyone after a match. Behind every task around a club there’s a person who gave their time to make it happen.

And too often, those stories go untold. 

Racing Against Time to Preserve Club History

One of the most urgent parts of Locker 71’s work is capturing stories before they disappear.

“A lot of these stories live in people’s heads. They’re not written down anywhere,” Bradley explains.

And once they’re gone, they’re gone for good.

“We had moments where what started as a simple shoot turned into days of documenting history, just because we realized how important it was to capture it while we could. For me, it’s about building an archive not just for today, but for future generations to understand where their club came from.” 

That line gave me chills. This isn’t just content being created for likes and follows. 

It’s preservation.

An archive not just for today’s players, but for generations to come. For someone to truly understand and appreciate their club, they need to know where it came from and the people who built it. 

Perspective. 

What Grassroots Rugby Needs Next

If there’s one thing Bradley is clear on, it’s that grassroots rugby doesn’t need to reinvent itself. However, we collectively need to protect what matters most.

“It needs to keep its sense of belonging.”

“Rugby teaches more than just the game. It teaches discipline, respect, how to carry yourself, how to be part of something bigger than yourself. Clubs need to keep creating environments where anyone can walk in, no matter their background, and feel like they’re part of something.”

At the same time, they need to adapt. 

At the same time, clubs can’t stand still. Complacency can be one of the most damaging things for clubs. Adaptation is needed, evolving isn’t a bad thing. 

“The world’s changed,” adds Bradley. “Attention spans have changed, communities have changed. The clubs that survive will be the ones that balance tradition with evolution.” 

Why These Stories Matter

For those outside the game, Bradley Mata’uiau and Locker 71’s work offers a window into something deeper than sport.

It shows that rugby isn’t just played. We live in it and those involved are the heartbeat. 

“You get out what you put in,” Bradley says. “Grassroots rugby teaches you about yourself. Whether you can lead, follow, contribute, or just show up and do your job for the team.”

Rugby builds leaders. Teammates. Volunteers. Communities.

And maybe most importantly, it creates a sense of connection that keeps people coming back long after their playing days are done.

“From a community perspective, it shows you that value isn’t given, it’s earned,” Bradley finished. “The more you invest in the people around you, the more that community gives back.”

Because once you’ve been part of it, you understand something that’s hard to explain to those that haven’t experienced it. 

Rugby isn’t just a game.

It’s a place.

Final Whistle

What Locker 71 is doing isn’t just media. It’s far more special. It’s shining a light on the people and places that make rugby what it is at its core.

In a world where the state of rugby is often framed from a professional perspective it’s a reminder that the real soul of the game still lives exactly where it always has… Down at the club.

If you’re interested in learning more about Bradley’s work with Locker 71, you can find them on the internet and social media. Give them a follow and like their content. That’s how grassroots initiatives like this keep going. 

Locker 71 website

Locker 71 Youtube Channel (Where you can find their full Club Rooms videos, highly recommend!

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See below for the newest episode of Club Rooms from Ponsonby Rugby Club.