Rugby photo exhibition explores merging of art and sport (+photos/video)

French photographer Michel Birot's photos capture the tradition of rivalry between great rugby nations. Photo / Michel Birot

French photographer Michel Birot has followed various rugby teams over the last decade to capture the tradition of rivalry between great rugby nations.

Some of the resulting black and white photographs make up his exhibition instantanes, which opened at the Auckland Town Hall last night as part of the Auckland Festival of Photography.

Images of mid-game scrums and youngsters training in the early morning, sit alongside changing room photographs of former All Blacks such as Jonah Lomu.

Born in 1953, Birot began his career as a professional photographer with Le Figaro magazine and has also worked in fashion and advertisisng.

He is now editor-in-chief of the monthly magazine Attitude Rugby.

* instantanes by Michel Birot is at the Auckland Town Hall until June 27. For more infomation call 309 2677 or see aucklandcity.govt.nz.