This article aims to explore, from a figurational perspective, the complex inter-relationship between sport, national identity politics and habitus codes. It addresses the significance of this relationship through an investigation into the role of the media in constructing and representing the nation through the sport of rugby union. More specifically, these processes are examined by analysing the national habitus codes employed by the British media in relation to the men's international team representing England during the 1995 Rugby World Cup held in South Africa. This investigation into the media's representations of `patriots at play' in some corner of a foreign field provides an interesting insight into the interlinkage between sport, the media and national character.
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