This book explores the expansion of rugby from its imperial and amateur upper-class white male core into other contexts throughout the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The development of rugby in the racially divided communities of the setter empire and how this was viewed are explored initially. Then the editors turn to four case studies of rugby's expansion beyond the bounds of the British Empire (France, Italy, Japan and the USA). The role of women in rugby is examined and the subsequent development of women's rugby as one of the fastest growing sports for women in Europe, North America and Australasia in the 1980s and 1990s. The final section analyses the impact of commercialisation, professionalisation and media on rugby and the impact on the historic rugby culture linked to an ethos of amateurism.

The game of rugby has changed significantly in the course of its history. In the early part of the 19th century it evolved from a folk game played by the working class to a recreational activity for public schoolboys. From the 1820s rugby represented an opportunity for gentlemen to demonstrate physical prowess and masculinity and in more recent times it has developed into an activity that reflects the changing attitudes towards professional sport. For the most part of the last one hundred years, rugby union became an important international sport that represented the nationalistic ideals of a number of countries. However, a number of developments, including the increasing influence of a business ethos within sport during the latter decades of the twentieth century, exposed rugby union to the realities of commercialism and all the factors associated with it, especially the demands of a more diverse spectating public. Drawing on interview material with forty-eight elite level rugby union players from England, Wales, Scotland, France, Ireland, South Africa, New Zealand and Australia who participated in elite level rugby union either before, in the overlapping period or after the declaration of professionalism, this book traces the evolution of attitudes towards professionalism from a players' perspective and develops a critical review of the impact that professionalism has had upon the sport of rugby union. Rugby Union and Professionalisation: Elite Player Perspectives is fascinating reading for all students and scholars with an interest in rugby union, sport history, sport policy, sport management and the sociology of sport.

Jack Kyle was the rugby giant of his time, but he was also so much more than a sporting legend. Whilst he was winning a Grand Slam and touring with the Lions, Jack Kyle was also studying to be a doctor. When he retired from playing rugby - as the world's most-capped player - his sense of adventure and medical ambition led him to settle in Chingola, Zambia, where he spent the next thirty-four years of his life. For many years, he was the only medically trained surgeon in the town and so faced many challenges, not least the appearance of and devastation caused by AIDS. Written as a series of conversations with his daughter, Justine, Conversations with My Father reveals Jack Kyle as a supremely gifted rugby player, a dedicated surgeon and a gentle family man.

The leaping Springbok on the green jersey of South Africa is one of the most iconic emblems in world rugby. At the same time, no symbol in world sport has ever done so much to divide - and then unite - a nation. Respected by opponents and supported passionately by South Africans, the Springboks have been a powerhouse rugby nation for over a century, yet the emblem that now sits alongside the Protea on the chests of the players was once a symbol of violent oppression in apartheid South Africa, the epitome of the white man's dominance over people of colour in the Republic. Told in the words of Springboks past and present, Our Blood is Green explores what it means to play for South Africa - from schoolboy dreams to the sacrifices required to make it to the very top - as well as the myriad difficulties the players have faced over the years, from the horrors of apartheid through to the emerging rainbow nation in the 1990s and the multi-cultural World Cup-winning team of today. It is a fascinating, powerful and poignant read that explores the unity of a brotherhood that fights to transcend race, culture and class while simultaneously striving to become the best team on the planet. Our Blood is Green examines what it truly means to be a Springbok and it is told the only way it can be - by the players themselves.

The mention of sport mega-events conjures up images and memories of London 2012 or anticipation of FIFA 2014, the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond. Indeed, the expanding annual calendar of sport mega-events, both in terms of the bidding process and the actual hosting of the event means that there is rarely time for considered reflection. This is particularly true within the context of neo-liberalism and an obsession with creating world class 'sporting' cities that are propelled by state-private promotional discourses that often silence oppositional voices. This edited collection focuses on Rugby World Cup 2011 in order to examine the contested terrain of one particular sport mega-event with respect to its economic, political and cultural impact both locally and globally. As an event, the 2011 Rugby World Cup was unique in many ways but perhaps the most notable are the nation's remote geographic location and at just over four million people - its small population. This anthology addresses how the Rugby World Cup has changed since its inception in 1987 including a major shift in the globalisation of the game, professionalization, player migration and television and sponsorship rights. The core of the anthology explores how the event impacted on various segments of New Zealand society: from the state to regions and individual citizens. Collectively the implications are relevant for all who are interested in sport mega-events whether it is from a political, economic, scholarly or policy perspective. This book was published a sa special issue of Sport and Society.

The mention of sport mega-events conjures up images and memories of London 2012 or anticipation of FIFA 2014, the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond. Indeed, the expanding annual calendar of sport mega-events, both in terms of the bidding process and the actual hosting of the event means that there is rarely time for considered reflection. This is particularly true within the context of neo-liberalism and an obsession with creating world class 'sporting' cities that are propelled by state-private promotional discourses that often silence oppositional voices. This edited collection focuses on Rugby World Cup 2011 in order to examine the contested terrain of one particular sport mega-event with respect to its economic, political and cultural impact both locally and globally. As an event, the 2011 Rugby World Cup was unique in many ways but perhaps the most notable are the nation's remote geographic location and at just over four million people - its small population. This anthology addresses how the Rugby World Cup has changed since its inception in 1987 including a major shift in the globalisation of the game, professionalization, player migration and television and sponsorship rights. The core of the anthology explores how the event impacted on various segments of New Zealand society: from the state to regions and individual citizens. Collectively the implications are relevant for all who are interested in sport mega-events whether it is from a political, economic, scholarly or policy perspective. This book was published a sa special issue of Sport and Society.

Wayne Barnes – one of the most-experienced international referees in history and criminal barrister to boot – uniquely lifts the lid on a lifetime of trying to keep the biggest names in the sport on best behaviour.

There aren’t many people who can say they’ve been the thirty-first man on the pitch during a World Cup humdinger, Grand Slam decider or Premiership and European Cup final; listened to the sobs of a 20-stone prop as he tries to belt out his national anthem; heard the crunch of bones after some of the mightiest hits known to the game; or been yards away from the greatest players of the last twenty years, doing almost impossible things with a rugby ball – especially when you’re a working-class lad from the Forest of Dean, wondering how you ever got there in the first place.

Candid, humble and warmly told, Throwing the Book is a definitive account of what it means to be a rugby referee and a love letter to the sport that has provided Wayne with so much. Covering his childhood days, family life, career highs and lows, side-step into law, as well as what’s next in store for Wayne both on and off the pitch, this book reveals the man behind the referee for the very first time.

Serious when it needs to be, but also rich in good humour and humanity, Throwing the Book is a memoir to remember.

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL CAPTAIN IN WORLD RUGBY HISTORY, IN HIS OWN WORDS Richie McCaw, Rugby World Cup winning captain and the New Zealand All Black's most capped player of all time, is unquestionably the greatest player of his generation. He is arguably the most talented player of all time. In his bestselling autobiography, McCaw talks with brutal honesty about the roots of his family life that defined his character and how it gave him the strength to emerge from the lowest moment in his career to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and become the most successful captain world rugby has ever seen. As the first captain to successfully defend the World Cup, McCaw has set the standard of what a professional rugby player should be. Hugely popular and respected, his sheer presence means that he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch and his story is not just a brutal account of life on the front line, but an exhilarating portrait of modern rugby.

Wartime and the scholarship to Grammar Schools allowed access to Rugby Union, an amateur game played by gentlemen in Rugby Clubs like Liverpool and Blackheath. Since the schism with Rugby League in 1895 the antipathy between the two codes was stark. Peter Harvey's story opened the door for hundreds of boys from Lancashire to play for England Schools. However, the suggestion that he might go to Rugby League was enough to prevent selection for England. The story of how this happened, and his subsequent success as a semi-professional rugby player, reaches its climax in Championships and Challenge Cups with the great St Helens RL side of the 1960s. Running parallel to this story is the training necessary to become a teacher and head teacher, and those people who helped me on that journey. The final chapters tell of rugby stars of the 1960s who he played with or against and the subsequent joys and fellowships of past players associations. It is a unique view of social history from coalmine to classroom, 1940 to present.

The Little Book of England Rugby is the latest volume in this highly successful series of sports-themed quotes books. Focusing on the mots justes from former players such as Steve Smith - who noted that Colin Smart who had been rushed to hospital after quaffing aftershave in Paris, 'He may have been unwell, but Colin had the nicest breath I've smelt' - and Will Carling - who, as England captain, called his bosses '57 old f**ts' - to the key men today such as coach Eddie Jones and Owen Farrell.

The huge Sunday Times number one bestselling inspirational memoir from rugby league legend Rob Burrow on his extraordinary career and his battle with motor neurone disease. 'A pocket rocket of a player and a giant of a character . . . He is one in a million and his story is truly inspirational' - Clare Balding 'I'm not giving in until my last breath' - Rob Burrow Rob Burrow is one of the greatest rugby league players of all time. And the most inspirational. As a boy, Rob was told he was too small to play the sport. Even when he made his debut for Leeds Rhinos, people wrote him off as a novelty. But Rob never stopped proving people wrong. During his time at Leeds, for whom he played almost 500 games, he won eight Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges. He also played for his country in two World Cups. In December 2019, Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, a rare degenerative condition, and given a couple of years to live. He was only thirty-seven, not long retired and had three young children. When he went public with the devastating news, the outpouring of affection and support was extraordinary. When it became clear that Rob was going to fight it all the way, sympathy turned to awe. This is the story of a tiny kid who adored rugby league but never should have made it - and ended up in the Leeds hall of fame. It's the story of a man who resolved to turn a terrible predicament into something positive - when he could have thrown the towel in. It's about the power of love, between Rob and his childhood sweetheart Lindsey, and of friendship, between Rob and his faithful teammates. Far more than a sports memoir, Too Many Reasons to Live is a story of boundless courage and infinite kindness.

Over the last 20 years the professionalization of both codes of rugby (league and union) has led to increasing demands on players. The Science of Sport: Rugby provides a comprehensive and accessible overview of the science behind preparing for performance in rugby. Using key scientific research and practical applications, the book offers an insight into how science can inform practice to improve player performance. The authors contributing to this book are world leading in their respective fields, ranging from academics researching rugby performance to practitioners delivering this information within the professional game. This new book covers: movement and physiological demands; fitness testing; fatigue and recovery; nutrition; strength and conditioning; injury rehabilitation; decision-making; skill assessments; young rugby players; talent identification and development; referees and finally, coaching planning and practice. This book bridges the gap between theory and practical application.

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.

The book is proposed by globally recognised subject leaders in the field. There is a strong collection of contributors across the various chapters. The book covers several key themes that are pertinent to youth rugby including a chapter on tackling which is topical in youth sports and the young female athlete will address the current bias towards male-focused research The chosen chapters cover a good breadth of subject matter across interlinking themes and there are clear practical applications embedded within every chapter.

Glory in Union is a pictorial celebration of the Rugby World Cup, taking us on a thrilling journey from the inaugural tournament in 1987 to the present day.

Using stunning stock images, it brings you the greatest and most iconic stars to have ever played the game, including Jonah Lomu, David Campese, Jonny Wilkinson, Sebastian Chabel, Zinzan Brooke, Michael Jones, Brian O'Driscoll, Richie McCaw, Francois Pienaar and many more.

This beautifully illustrated book covers the great matches, the turning points, the controversy, the heroes, the villains and the iconic moments that have made the World Cup the most prestigious tournament in rugby. Glory in Union is an essential piece of World Cup nostalgia for every rugby fan.

This brand new edition, redesigned in hardback for 2019, makes the perfect gift for the rugby obsessive in your life.

Rugby fans will delight in this astonishing collection of outlandish stories from the past 150 years of the game. Here you'll find, among many other curious events, the Irish international who arranged his marriage in order to play against England, the team of top soccer players who beat their rugby counterparts at their own game, the day the entire Wales team was sent off, and when in an astonishing turn of events underdog Japan trimphed and beat South Africa (and who doesn't love an underdog).

The tales in this book are bizarre, fascinating, and, most importantly, true.

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.

A collection of biographical, anecdotal, and literary essays on Britain's consuming passion for rugby, this account describes the exploits of the people's heroes from Gould to Gareth Edwards. The beauty and exhilaration of the game is vividly recaptured in classic prose, as are the emotions and expectations of the most passionate rugby aficionados in the world. From the humorous to the erudite, this selection features work from the likes of Richard Burton, Frank Keating, John Morgan, Dylan Thomas, Alan Watkins, and Harry Webb.

Jonathan Kaplan, celebrated international rugby referee and former world record-holder for most Test caps, had his fair share of challenging moments on the field. He was known for his commitment to fair play, ability to defuse tense situations, and courage in making difficult, and sometimes controversial, decisions. All this would stand JK in good stead and come back into play when, at the age of 47, he made two life-changing decisions. The first was to blow his whistle for the last time and end his career as a professional rugby ref. The second was to become a parent – and a solo parent at that.

This is the story of JK’s decision to have a baby by surrogate, the two-year fertility process that followed, and the subsequent birth of his son Kaleb. Winging It draws on the insights of key role-players in JK’s journey, including the extraordinary experience of the surrogate mother herself.

Exchanging rucks for reflux, mauls for milk bottles, scrums for storks (and other stories about Kaleb’s conception), this account of how JK navigates the choppy waters of parenthood is disarmingly frank and scrupulously honest. At times poignant and tender, and at others downright funny, this is a thoroughly contemporary take on what constitutes a family and how we dare to build one.

Winner of the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Children's Book of the Year Small, skinny and short-sighted . . . and dazzlingly talented. Jimmy Joseph loves rugby. All he dreams about is one day playing for his country in a World Cup, or winning a Test series for the Lions with a last-minute drop-goal. But when he kicks an up-and-under in the schoolyard and accidentally hits the new head of PE, Mr Kane, on the head, he makes a powerful enemy. Jimmy and his best friends - Manu, Scott and Kitty - try to prove their worth on the rugby field, but to no avail. Mr Kane has it out for them, and he's being helped by team captain Mike Green, well known as the school bully. Can Jimmy and his friends overcome the tyranny of Mr Kane and help Mike see the error of his ways? Or will the combination of bullying, pressure and dirty tactics derail the friends' rugby careers before they have even begun? An epic new rugby series begins here!

SHORTLISTED FOR THE SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR 'Crammed full of funny stories, below-the-belt banter and amusing observations, it's gold' Rugby World Once described as rugby's answer to Ant & Dec, David Flatman and Mark Durden-Smith are the oddest of odd couples. Now this hugely popular rugby broadcasting double act have turned to dissecting and celebrating rugby union in book form. And, as you'd expect, it's a brilliant combination of in-depth knowledge and hilarious stories. Flats and Durders Offload covers every facet of the game, from surviving the front row, what it takes to be a leader, referees both good and bad, mind games, tournaments and, of course, what really happens on a rugby tour. They talk about the highs, including Flats not missing a tackle in his 90-second Six Nations appearance, and the lows, including Flats not making a tackle in his 90-second Six Nations appearance. Familiar to millions of fans through their television work, they provide fascinating and entertaining insight into the sport they love. They reveal the hardest players, the greatest characters and the intimate secrets of the front row. They address key issues facing the sport, such as injury, retirement and the future of the game. Nothing is off limits and no quarter is given - to anyone. With insightful analysis, unforgettable stories and the occasional food reference, Flats and Durders Offload is an unmissable read for all rugby fans.

Is there always someone else to blame for your failures? Afraid of putting the real work in to achieve your goals? Are you sick of just being average and do you want to start winning? It's time to drown out self-doubt and the distracting noise of everyday life, to conquer your fears and approach challenges without caution. One of rugby's most ferocious flankers and successful players, James Haskell has always strived to be at the very top of his game. To achieve a global rugby career, he knew he had to keep his body strong. To go on to found an award-winning production company and become a successful DJ and bestselling author, he knew he had to keep his mind even stronger. Revolutionary and revealing, Approach With(out) Caution presents James Haskell as you've never known him. James takes the lessons he's learned, both on and off the pitch, and turns them into a five-pillar plan to help you take control of your life.

"Rugby League in Twentieth Century Britain" is the follow-up volume to the award-winning Rugby's Great Split. Following on from that work, the book offers a social and cultural history of rugby league in the twentieth century, from World War One to the 'Super League' controversy of 1995.
Based on extensive archival research, it situates the sport in the changing culture of the north of England. It seeks to examine the cultural, social and economic basis of the sport amidst the changes to the industrial and social landscape of the north in the twentieth century. Central to this is the book's discussion of the nature of Northern English identity. In addition, it also looks at rugby league's relationship with the British empire (via its links with Australia and New Zealand), its war with rugby union (using the previously unopened archives of the Rugby Football Union) and the centrality of working-class masculinity to northern culture.
Like its predecessor, the book will appeal to sports historians and sociologists, historians interested in regional, cultural and gender history, graduate and undergraduate history, sociology and sports studies students, and followers of rugby league, and sport in general.

Voted Rugby Book of the Year at the 2018 Sports Book Awards. Wrecking Ball is a captivating and humorous memoir by Billy Vunipola, one of the stars of England's recent rugby renaissance, and will be enjoyed by those who have read the recent autobiographies by Jonny Wilkinson, Brian O'Driscoll, Dan Carter and Paul O'Connell. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches and weighing almost 20 stone, Billy is a rampaging and unmissable presence on the rugby pitch, for both club and country. Wrecking Ball is his captivating story so far, chronicling his remarkable personal odyssey of 10,000 miles, from the tiny Tongan village of Longo Longo to the imposing vastness of Twickenham. Join Billy on his journey from the year-round sunshine of Tonga to the bitter cold of a British winter, from his favourite Pontypool kebab shop to finding himself eating broccoli for breakfast, and from carefree childhood games in the middle of the Pacific to the serious business of playing professional rugby in Europe. Wrecking Ball is a wonderfully eccentric and witty book, written with bags of charm. It captures Billy's colourful family and upbringing, and creates a rounded and fascinating portrait of a young man finding his feet as a modern English rugby player.