Team Sports Training: The Complexity Model presents a novel approach to team sports training, examining football (soccer), rugby union, field hockey, basketball, handball and futsal through the paradigm of complexity. Under a traditional prism, these sports have been analysed using a deterministic perspective, where the constituent dimensions of the sportsmen were independently examined and treated in isolation. It was expected that the body worked as a perfect machine and, once all the components were maximised, the sportsmen improved their performance. If the same closed recipe was applied to all of the players who formed part of the squad, the global team performance was expected to be enhanced. As much as these reductionist models seem coherent, when contrasted in practice we see that the reality of team sports is far more different from the closed conditions in which they were idealised. Team sports contain variable, heterogeneous and non-linear constraints which require the development of a different logic to organise their training. During the last few years, ecological psychology, the dynamical systems theory or the constraints-led approach have opened interesting fields of research from which many conceptual foundations can be applied to team sports. Based on this contemporary framework, the current book presents the study of the players and the teams as complex systems, using coordination dynamics to explain the emergence of the self-organisation episodes that characterise them. In addition, this thinking line provides the reader with the ability to apply all of these innovative concepts to their practical training scenarios. Altogether, it is intended to challenge the reader to re-think their training strategy and to develop an original theory and practice of training specific to team sports.

In a nation of rugby heroes, Jamie Roberts has become a legend. Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard man: a 6 foot 4, 17 stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction. In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward. A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive. In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.

One of the best lock forwards in the history of English and Lions' game, and a successful captain to boot. Bill Beaumont's popularity on the field and his appearances on A Question of Sport have made him a household name. This is the light-hearted and amusing life story of a larger-than-life character. A serious head injury forced Bill Beaumont to retire from rugby prematurely at the age of 29, after leading his country 21 times in 34 appearances - including a memorable Grand Slam in 1980 - and captaining the Lions to South Africa in 1980. Since then he has been honoured with an OBE and turned effortlessly to a career in broadcasting as a BBC and Sky Sports summariser and, more famously, as captain on the sports quiz show A Question of Sport. He is also a brilliant after-dinner speaker, and recently became chairman of the RFU's National Playing Committee. Beaumont reflects back on a wonderful career, reliving the dramatic events on the field as well as the off-the-field scrapes and humorous escapades that characterised the game in its amateur era. And now as an elder statesman, he is perfectly positioned to talk knowledgeably about the game he so loves, and will comment on the 2003 Rugby World Cup and England's performance in particular.

The most capped England rugby scrum-half of all time, a captain of his country, and a two-times British Lions tourist, Matt Dawson's career story is a colourful tale spiced with controversy, from club rugby at Northampton to England winning the Rugby World Cup in Australia. Now fully updated with England's first year as World Champions. The boy from Birkenhead learnt the game the hard way, working as a security guard and an advertising salesman in his formative years, in the days when rugby players found relief in an active and alcoholic social life. (Dawson: 'The drinking started on Saturday night, continued all Sunday and most nights until Thursday.') Despite the frequent visits to the operating theatre and the physio's table, hard graft for his club Northampton eventually heralded international recognition. Dawson talks about the influential, and occasional obstructive figures in his blossoming career: the likes of John Olver, Will Carling, Ian McGeechan and, more recently, Wayne Shelford, Kyran Bracken and Clive Woodward. In typically opinionated mode, he also reflects on the successes and failures of the England team and, famously, the Lions in Australia in 2001. After speaking out against punishing schedules, disenchanted players and lack of management support in a tour diary article, Dawson was almost sent home in disgrace. He revisits that bitterly disappointing period in his life and is still not afraid to point out where everything went wrong. Following England's Rugby World Cup 2003 success, Dawson provides a first-hand account of all the dressing room drama - including a troubled Jonny Wilkinson - and the memorable final itself, followed by the stunning reaction to this historic win back home. And in a new updated chapter for this paperback edition, he reveals how the World Champions have overcome the retirement of key players, reviews the 2004 Six Nations, and looks at his own future in the game.

Suid-Afrikaners is dol oor rugby en hulle hou daarvan om lekker te lag. Hier kommie Bokke! kombineer twee van Suid-Afrika se gunsteling-tydverdrywe in een skreeusnaakse boek wat gewaarborg is om die lagspiere te prikkel. Daar is gevatte kwinkslae, klassieke segoed van toeka se dae en die heel jongste Super 15-grappe. Daar is geen heilige koeie in Hier Kommie Bokke! nie, en almal – van die voorry en agterlyn tot rugby-poppies, skeidsregters, ondersteuners en afrigters – loop deur. Gewaarborg om lesers te laat skaterlag.

Twenty years of professionalism has seen rugby union undergo dramatic transformations, from changes to everyday training cultures to the growth of the Rugby World Cup into one of the largest global sporting events. The Rugby World in the Professional Era is the first book to examine the effect that professionalism has had across a number of different aspects of the game and the wider socio-cultural significance of these changes through case studies from across the globe. Drawing on contributions from scholars from across the rugby-playing world, the book explores the role of rugby's professionalisation through a number of social-scientific lenses, including: labour migration race and indigenous populations the globalisation of the game mega-event management male sexualities media representations of rugby - from broadcasting matches to rugby in museums and on stage and screen Offering insights into under-researched areas of the sport, such as the growth of Rugby Sevens into an Olympic sport, and providing the most up-to-date recent history of the sport available, The Rugby World in the Professional Era is essential reading for anyone with an academic interest in rugby, and any student or scholar with interests in sports history, sports sociology, sport management or the economics of professional sport.

Firsts, Lasts & Onlys is a rugby fan's delight, chock-full of astonishing events, time-honoured anecdotes and distinctly unlikely facts. Beginning in 1823 with an event that probably didn't happen, the book charts the history of the sport to the present day. Did you know that Wasps were not included at the formation of the Rugby Football Union because their representative went to the wrong venue and got drunk? Or that the first international was won by Scotland because the umpire, a Dr Almond, adjudged: 'When an umpire is in doubt, I think he is justified in deciding against the side which makes the most noise. They are probably in the wrong'? Do you know which was the first novel to mention rugby? When the last 20-a-side rugby match was played? Or why a fan cut off his testicles to celebrate a win? All this, and so much more.

Contemporary sports coaching studies have moved beyond simple biophysical approaches to more complex understandings of coaching as a set of social relationships and processes. This is the first book to examine what that means in the context of one major international sport, rugby union. Drawing on cutting-edge empirical research in the five most powerful rugby-playing nations, as well as developments in pedagogical and social theory, the book argues for an holistic approach to coaching, coach development and player and team performance, helping to close the gap between coaching theory and applied practice.

With player-centered approaches to coaching, such as Game Sense and Teaching Games for Understanding, at the heart of the book, it covers key contemporary topics in coach education such as:

• Long term coach development
• Experience and culture in coaching practice
• Positive coaching for youth rugby
• Improving decision-making ability
• Collaborative action research in rugby coaching

Informed by work with elite-level rugby coaches, and examining coaching practice in both the full and sevens versions of the game, this book encourages the reader to think critically about their own coaching practice and to consider innovative new approaches to player and coach development. It is essential reading for all students of sports coaching with an interest in rugby, and for any coach, manager or administrator looking to develop better programmes in coach education.

Rugby On This Day revisits many of the sport's most magical and memorable moments which might otherwise have slipped under the radar. Here are over 700 unusual and hilarious highlights, all mixed in with a maelstrom of quirky anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable rugby union diary - with an entry for every day of the year. Apart from the usual rousing title wins and stupendous tries, every fan has their favourite rugby memories, be they moments of inspiration on the pitch, streakers or 20-man brawls. As well as recalling events that will make you laugh, cry, or shake your head in disbelief, Rugby On This Day also benefits from brilliant research which delves deep into the game's history, gathering together so many original stories and tit-bits to create a snapshot of the diverse and often bizarre world of rugby union.

Not All Mud and Scrums is about rugby union before professionalism. The book begins and ends with the historic Scotland-England Grand Slam match at newly-opened Murrayfield in 1955. There are men, matches and moments here, seen from the press box and the terraces with an eye for the odd and a feeling for the past. It will be of a special interest to those who, like the author, were introduced to the game in simpler times.

The Chosen 23 is a unique interactive rugby book by well-known South African based rugby writer, Mark Keohane. The book centres around Keohane's selection of a Springbok Match Day 23 and World Player 23 from every player he has seen play live since 1992.

The book is not about test matches during this time, but rather about the players that made those test matches memorable. As with anything, this is a book based on opinion so there is no right or wrong which is why Keohane has made the unique decision to include the comments, opinions and reactions of fans throughout the book.

From Jonah Lomu's dismantling of England at Newlands in the 1995 World Cup Semi-Final to Springbok Glory in Tokyo in 2019 the book looks at the Players highlights as well during this period. In addition to the The Chosen 23 Keohane also discusses the merits of other players in that position. One merely has to read the Chapter 14 which discusses Springbok rugby wing greats such as Kolbe, Paulse, Pietersen, Small and Terblanche to appreciate the difficulty that the author was faced with in making his choice. It makes for both interesting and fun reading.

The Chosen 23 is a definitely a rugby fan collector's item and will provide enjoyable reading for those that have followed the game closely since 1992 as well as newcomers.

Twenty years of professionalism has seen rugby union undergo dramatic transformations, from changes to everyday training cultures to the growth of the Rugby World Cup into one of the largest global sporting events. The Rugby World in the Professional Era is the first book to examine the effect that professionalism has had across a number of different aspects of the game and the wider socio-cultural significance of these changes through case studies from across the globe. Drawing on contributions from scholars from across the rugby-playing world, the book explores the role of rugby's professionalisation through a number of social-scientific lenses, including: labour migration race and indigenous populations the globalisation of the game mega-event management male sexualities media representations of rugby - from broadcasting matches to rugby in museums and on stage and screen Offering insights into under-researched areas of the sport, such as the growth of Rugby Sevens into an Olympic sport, and providing the most up-to-date recent history of the sport available, The Rugby World in the Professional Era is essential reading for anyone with an academic interest in rugby, and any student or scholar with interests in sports history, sports sociology, sport management or the economics of professional sport.

Owen Doyle is an Irish Times columnist and former Irish rugby Test match referee. Here in his frank, revealing and often humorous memoir, The Ref's Call, he gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the high-pressured world of international rugby.

From the processes involved in becoming a referee, to officiating in the Five Nations, touring Internationals and a World Cup, Doyle takes us through the most memorable matches of his career and how, following his retirement, he became instrumental in coaching the most successful generation of referees in the IRFU's history.

Covering over forty years of rugby, and written in his own inimitable style, Doyle looks at the challenges facing modern rugby, particularly the issues of concussion and dementia, to give a fascinating insight into the great game, told from a unique perspective.

When Errol Tobias was selected for the Springbok rugby team there was an immediate uproar. He became our first black Springbok in 1980 – in the middle of South Africa’s isolation from international sport and growing protest action against the government. In Errol Tobias: Pure Gold he talks openly about his sporting career: from childhood to the great moments in the green and gold. Here are the joys, the losses, and the controversy.

The truth behind legendary rugby matches is revealed, such as the South American tour where Tobias broke a world record, and the disastrous New Zealand tour that was overshadowed by protests against the Springboks. He writes about his close friendship with fellow Springbok legend Rob Louw, and the unwavering support of Danie ‘Doc’ Craven. Tobias also gives his opinion on the quota system of today.

Many others have talked about Errol Tobias and his effect on South African rugby. Here is his side of the story.

John Kendall-Carpenter was a truly extraordinary man. He captained the England rugby team in the early 1950s, when he was widely regarded as one of the cleverest and most tactically astute players in the world. At the same time he launched out on a career in education which saw him not only hold the headmastership of three well-known public schools but also play a prominent role in the Headmasters’ Conference in its negotiations with the Labour Government in the 1970s to ensure the continued independence of that sector. In addition, the first Rugby World Cup simply would never have happened without him. President of the Rugby Union in 1980, he was then elected as England’s representative on the International Rugby Board where his role was to defend the amateur code which was coming under increasing pressure from professionalism. His conversion to the cause of international rugby and the commercial potential of the Word Cup, with his subsequent passion and energy, was instrumental in getting the first World Cup in 1987 off the ground and also paved the way towards the professional game. He then threw himself into the planning of the next World Cup but sadly died just a year before it started in 1991. John Kendall-Carpenter was remarkable man with many friends – and a few enemies! – not only in sport, but in education, the theatre, among politicians and writers. He is still a legend in Cornwall – his adopted home. This biography will appeal to every dedicated rugby supporter as well as those interested in sport in general and how rugby emerged from the fields of English public schools to the huge commercial sporting event it is today.

Mud, Blood and Studs is a special story of sporting excellence passed from generation to generation. An alcoholic father abandons his family in Troon, Scotland, and sails for America, but against the odds his offspring prosper, as his four boys have natural athletic ability. Oldest son, Jim, travels to America to track down his father and finds a country in the throes of the Great Depression. However, his superb soccer skills win him selection for the 1930 US World Cup team. In 1932, he signs for Manchester United, and later for Spurs. Jim passes his skills on to his son, George, who becomes a USA All-Star and USMNT player. Jim's brothers, John and Tom, shake up Scottish football, and John hands down his sublime hand-to-eye coordination to sons Peter and Gordon, who make their mark in international rugby. Then there are Peter and Gordon's cousins, the Lambies, who impact South African rugby. This fascinating book brings you the inside track on a remarkable family who overcame adversity to thrive at the top level of sport.

Relaunched in 2006 this edition includes: all the facts and figures from the major international competitions, such as the Six Nations, Tri Nations, World Sevens Series, Women's Rugby World Cup and Americas and Asian tournaments; a review of the season and feature articles on key issues in the game over the past year by the world's leading rugby writers; and a preview of the 2007 World Cup in France, as well as fixtures for the 2007 season.

In 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was there, in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sport's most destructive, repetitive impacts. But the triumphs came at a cost. When rugby union turned professional, Steve was plunged into a game where raw power meant everything. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost. The years of hurt in an era of professional meat shields, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and probable chronic traumatic encephalopathy. He is in his early forties. There are days when he doesn't remember the names of his wife and four kids. Unforgettable is part sports memoir - with stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward - and part raw human storytelling. In it, Steve will make memories for himself and for his children, and will relive the biggest battle of his life, with his toughest opponent - his own mind. Despite the constant reminders of what has been lost, and what is still to lose, Steve's powerful story is one of hope and courage. Unforgettable stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind - and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.

The first biography of the enigmatic coach who has completely transformed the England rugby team. After Eddie Jones began coaching England's rugby team, they won 22 of their next 23 matches. The side that limped out of the 2015 World Cup was thoroughly revitalised. But who was the unconventional figure responsible for this change of fortune? And, given recent setbacks, will Eddie be able to inspire England to bring their best to the 2019 World Cup? From his school days playing alongside the legendary Ella brothers to his masterminding of Japan's jaw-dropping World Cup victory over South Africa, Eddie Jones has always been a polarising figure, known for his punishing work ethic. Constantly controversial, never complacent, Jones has truly shaken up English rugby. Drawing on over a hundred interviews with former teammates, players, administrators, coaching colleagues and Jones himself, veteran rugby writer Mike Colman brings a rare level of insight to his biography of this singular man.

Rugby's long history is full of tales of inspirational courage. Yet there has never been a rugby player quite as remarkable, quite as jaw-droppingly brave, as Ian McKinley. On January 16, 2010, the young fly-half was one of Ireland's hottest rugby prospects. But his life was about to change forever. While playing for University College Dublin, a horrifying injury to his left eye saw McKinley's vision, his world and his future come crashing down around him. The injury left McKinley blind in one eye and bereft, forcing him into early retirement, his life plans scattered in the wind. After relocating to Italy to heal and rebuild himself as a youth rugby coach, a heartbroken McKinley battled on until, in the end, he vowed to do whatever it took to once again play the sport he loved. As he discloses in Second Sight in painstaking detail for the first time, McKinley poured his heart and soul into finding a way to play. He endlessly researched specialist goggles and he tenaciously fought his case against sceptical World Rugby bosses until finally, finally, he did the impossible - he came back. On November 11, 2017, against Fiji, McKinley became the first visually impaired man to ever feature in a Test match, playing at fly-half for Italy - his beloved, adopted nation. His efforts drew gasps of admiration from the crowd and tears of respect from teammates and opposition alike. In Second Sight, McKinley outlines how returning to rugby gave him the chance to highlight his skill at the highest level but, more importantly, how it helped him make peace with his injury and the unique way fate has intervened in his life. After eventually retiring for a second, and final, time in March 2021, in Second Sight McKinley tells an astounding sporting story like no other - and a tale that deserves to be heard, and applauded, around the globe.

'So powerful. This book might just change the way you think about sport forever' - Sir Clive Woodward 'As brave as they come' - Gareth Thomas 'I'm in my early forties. There are days when I don't remember the names of my wife and four kids . . .' In 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was in England's front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum - one of sport's most violent battlegrounds. But triumph came at a cost. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost. The years of hurt, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and serious progressive brain damage. Steve and his wife Steph had a happy family life planned, with decades ahead of them. Now he needs to capture these elusive memories for the sake of his children, before they disappear forever. With stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward, Unforgettable is raw, powerful storytelling. This tale of hope and courage stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind - and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.

Autobiography of Llanelli prop, Welsh Rugby Union Board and International Rugby Board member Anthony Buchanan. Although he only won a handful of International caps for Wales, Anthony Buchanan's story is unusual in that it spans both the playing and administrative sides of the game as well as bridging Welsh rugby's momentous shift from the amateur days to professionalism. A trusted confidant of Gareth Jenkins, he is ideally placed to comment on Llanelli RFC's transition from club to region, not to mention the birth of European rugby. He is a natural raconteur and as well as telling his own story, he delivers a rare and informed insight into one of Wales's most famous rugby clubs and regions and the highest echelons of the game. In his capacity as former Chairman of the International Referees Selection Panel, he discusses his frank opinions of the role of Television Match Officials and their impact on the game for players and spectators alike, the career of Nigel Owens and the infamous red card issued by Alain Rolland to Sam Warburton in the 2011 Rugby World Cup semi-final. He also provides a behind-the-scenes look at the rugby world that is always laced with humor and often downright hilarious.

'I, Steven Paul Fenwick, have a revelation to make that may surprise many readers. My first international representative rugby union honours were playing for England. There I was, in the line-up up for the English national anthem, in full regalia and the red rose on my chest representing England. I know this may come as a shock and it still feels as odd now as it did all those years ago, but bear with me, don't judge me quite yet!' An icon of Welsh rugby and one of the stars of the great Wales team of the 1970s, Steve Fenwick won three Triple Crowns, two Grand Slams and played in all four Tests of the 1977 Lions tour to New Zealand. He is also one of the very few members of that illustrious team to not have told his story, until now. Witty and engaging with a very dry sense of humour, Steve Fenwick's autobiography tells the story of the schoolboy from Nantgarw who became one of the most celebrated players in the rugby world, and his hilarious anecdotes and recollections of a glittering career during a golden age of Welsh rugby will delight and enthral readers in Wales and beyond.