The Little Book of Wales Rugby is the latest volume in this highly successful series of sports-themed quotes books. Focusing on the mots justes from the great players of the past 50 years. Includes quotes from many Welsh rugby giants, plus from players, coaches, journalists and fans from every era when the Welsh dragon was rampant.

In this fully updated paperback edition of the Sunday Times bestseller, Jonny Wilkinson opens up to reveal what it is like to be the world's most famous rugby player and an international sporting superstar. MY WORLD is a fascinating insight into his motivations, thoughts, hopes and fears as he discusses topics as far ranging as playing for England, his all-time heroes, becoming a celebrity, what it is like to be on the pitch with the hopes of a nation resting on your shoulders and in your feet and the positives that could be taken from the 2005 Lions Tour. For the first time, Jonny Wilkinson talks openly about the England World Cup campaign and the pressure he was under in those dramatic final moments when he won the cup for his country. Two years on he also reveals the battles he has had to face to bring himself back to full fitness as England build their team round him in preparation for the 2007 World Cup.

Martin Johnson is the towering second row forward who has come to set the standards of what a professional rugby player should do. His drive and physical presence mean that he is a natural leader on the pitch - and off it, too. In this, his long-awaited autobiography, he looks at the changing world of rugby. He explains why he led the England team to the brink of a strike in the autumn of 2000, and provides the definitive account of England's 2003 World Cup triumph, as well as Lions tours and all the goings-on that make rugby such a special sport. Hugely popular and respected, Martin Johnson has written vivid autobiography and a remarkable portrait of modern rugby.

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.

A Man of All Talents is the remarkable story of rugby and wrestling legend Douglas 'Duggy' Clark. Born in 1891 in the sleepy Cumbrian village of Maryport, at 14 he left school to work for his father's coal merchant business. Duggy grew into an exceptionally strong but quiet and reserved young man. His two great passions were rugby and Cumberland and Westmorland-style wrestling, and he excelled at both. By 24 he was already a rugby league great and a key member of Huddersfield's 'Team of All Talents', winning every honour the sport could offer. He represented Britain in the infamous 1914 'Rorke's Drift' tour of Australia before being called up to serve in the Great War. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery, but his war injuries were so severe he was discharged with a 20% disability certificate. Doctors gave Duggy an ultimatum: either he could stay home and live a long but sedate and ordinary life or risk his health by returning to sport. He chose the latter and went on to achieve more extraordinary and pioneering feats.

'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.

When the Springboks smashed the British and Irish Lions in Cape Town in 2021 to celebrate their emergence from Covid-19 lockdown, it was exactly 130 years since they had played their first match, also against the British Lions.

There has never been a dull moment in between as the Boks have taken South Africans on a roller coaster ride of success and setback but, more importantly, there has always been rich entertainment. Springbok history boasts a treasure trove of tales about colourful characters and riveting dramas and seasoned rugby scribe Mike Greenaway has brought a host of them back to life in his meticulously researched book.

The tales in this collection begin in the 1890s and cover every era of Springbok history right up to the present day. The Fireside Springbok is a hardcover coffee table book. Richly illustrated, there are cartoons by the much-loved Dr Jack while rare black-and-white photographs capture the mood of the historical chapters and award-winning photographers supplement the modern inclusions.

This book is a collection of heart-warming stories that will bring a smile to a reader who is perhaps ensconced in an easy chair, maybe next to a glowing fire and enjoying a favorite tipple.

'An impassioned tour around France which is best enjoyed with a bottle of red ... or two.' The Sunday Times 'I've known Peter for some years and I'm sure you will enjoy his personal journey to the heart of rugby in this superb country.' Dan Carter, Former All Black and Rugby World Cup winner 'Bills' wondrous travelogue features so many great tales from the mouths of legends.' Irish Independent 'I really enjoyed this book ... A great memoir of France and its people through the eyes of rugby.' Michael Lynagh, TV analyst and Australian Rugby World Cup winner 'Wonderful! This is a great read. I simply loved it and I am sure that many others will also.' Bob Dwyer, Australian World Cup winning coach 1991 From French rugby's origins in Le Havre, (as an English export in the late nineteenth century) to the Catalan coast, acclaimed rugby writer Peter Bills travels the length and breadth of this vast country visiting not only the big cities but those regional heartlands of the game such as Toulouse, Bordeaux and Clermont as well as clubs in the Basque country, to reveal a country whose deep love of rugby has created a culture and playing style like no other. Featuring exclusive interviews with many of the greatest international players to have played club rugby in France, from Ronan O'Gara to Dan Carter, as well as French legends of the sport, from Serge Blanco and Jean-Pierre Rives to Antoine Dupont, Le Coq: A Journey to the Heart of French rugby brings to life the passion, colour, excitement, characters, anecdotes, locations and great moments of French rugby's near 150 years of existence, just as it prepares to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup. Former French Grand Slam captain Jacques Fouroux talked of 'Rugby; the game, the life': this book will show you exactly what he meant.

The heat is on once again for troubled rugby league star Greg Duggan when he takes up the offer to join new club Lanzarote Eruption in the hot summer on the Canary Islands. Eruption are destined for Super League and Greg's life, in tatters from a broken marriage, corrupt officials and convalescence after a bullet wound, looks set for sunshine. But all is not what it seems behind the scenes at the high flyers and Greg finds himself in the centre of another volcanic storm, while his past won't leave him alone. Greg very nearly pulled off a miracle in saving his home town club Hopton Town in the first book of this crime thriller trilogy, this time it looks likely he will have to suffer further, through those intent on Eruption's downfall. Can Greg's skill and determination on the pitch be matched by his new-found undercover talent at unmasking the perpetrators, or will his legendary liking for female company cause his downfall? This is the sizzling, new sequel to author Chris Berry's Tough Season launched last Summer and a long-time #1 in the Amazon rugby league charts while also a new hit book in the crime thriller charts. It is destined to become one of this year's favourite Summer reads.

In More Blood, Sweat and Beers, World Cup-winning rugby legend Lawrence Dallaglio shares his favourite stories from his time at International rugby's greatest tournament. With razor-sharp wit and good humour he lets the reader behind the closed doors of the tournament, to see what happens on and off the pitch when the cameras aren't looking. All the great names are here - Blanco, Lomu and Pienaar among them - and in his time Dallaglio has shared pints or blows (or both) with them all and has lived to tell the stories. Funny, frank and fully loaded with quick-fire banter these are the best of the best tales of the legends of the International stage.

On December 4, 1815, 750 ba' players came together in a mighty contest on the field of Carterhaugh, near Selkirk in the Scottish Borders, for what was advertised as 'a Great Foot-Ball Match'. On December 4, 2015, two bands of dedicated ba' players descended on Carterhaugh to celebrate the bicentenary of the match by joining battle in another no-holds-barred contest. For anyone interested the true origins of the game of rugby in the centuries-old mass ba' games of the Scottish Borders and the North of England - still alive and kicking to this day - here are tales wonderfully told by historians of the game. Cracked crowns, furious duckings, acts of never-to-be-forgotten heroism and unforgivable betrayal - Ian Landles relives the dramas of the original 1815 Carterhaugh Ba' match, recalls Walter Scott's pivotal role in organising it, and in the process rewrites the early history of rugby. The late Hugh Hornby describes the enduring appeal of mass football games today. Billy Gillies explains why the Border ba' game is absolutely not just a game but a serious business, and gives a blow-by-blow account of the 2015 re-enactment. Historic images, verses and letters, alongside photographs by leading Scottish photographers, tell a story that has waited two centuries to be told.

Budge Rogers: A Rugby Life is the long overdue biography of one of rugby's most iconic players, Derek Prior Budge Rogers. The story of the wing forward who lit up rugby grounds around the world in the 1960s and 1970s with dazzling and determined wing play, Rogers is a true rugby great. He captained Bedford RFC for five seasons, including the year they won the National Cup in his last game for the club. He spent nine years as England captain and toured overseas with the British Lions and Barbarians - with many a tale to be told from these trips, which are a real highlight of his story. Rogers's exemplary playing career was followed by years in management and administration at the highest level as both Chairman of England Selectors and President of the RFU. An OBE soon followed. A player who epitomised the best values in the amateur game, he also became a key figure in managing the difficult transition of rugby from its amateur status into the modern, professional game we know today. Budge Rogers: A Rugby Life gives a unique insight into the life of this electrifying wing forward and his time at the top of the sport.

In his book, Niall Breslin speaks openly about living with depression and anxiety, and his crippling journey to finally acknowledging 'Jeffrey' - the name he chose for it - years after he took the decision to conceal his growing mental health issues from the world, at age 15. Told with raw honesty, it is a story of the demons that lay beneath outward success, and how they impacted on his career in sports and later music, as he coped with a condition that at times seemed hell bent on wrecking everything in its wake. It is also the story of a road to reconciliation with brokenness - beginning after a massive panic attack before a live TV appearance in 2012 - leading to brighter horizons. Me and My Mate Jeffrey is an essential book for anyone who knows what it is to feel alone, and who doesn't know how to ask for help - or anyone who wants to better understand that journey.

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.

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.

'A true warrior. He demands excellence from himself and others around him. He has had success and disappointment, joy and sadness. People think they know him but unless you read this book you will never know the REAL Alun Wyn Jones.' - Warren Gatland Match Day. Closing a hotel room door, down into the team room. Up into a hotel lobby full of supporters in red shirts, of cheers and applause and shouts of good luck. This is where the story of Alun Wyn Jones's journey begins, the story that every child who has dreamt of playing rugby for their country starts with. From the tightness in your stomach to the look on your team-mates' faces, the adrenaline starting to flow within. Belonging is the story about how the boy left Mumbles and returned as the most capped rugby player of all time. It is the story of what it takes to become a player who is seen by many as one of the greatest Welsh players there has ever been. What it takes to go from sitting, crossed legged on the hall floor at school, watching the 1997 Lions Tour of South Africa to being named the 2021 Lions Captain. But is it also about perthyn - belonging, playing for Wales, working your way through the age-grades and the club matches and regional sides. What it takes to earn the right to be there, and what it feels like to make the sacrifices along the way. Feeling the bond to the great players not long gone, and feeling the ties to the millions in front rooms and pubs across the hillsides and the valleys, coast to coast. Knowing that deep down you just want to belong, be a part of it, as everyone does. From the rain swept pitches of Swansea to making his test debut against Argentina in Patagonia in 2006, from touring with the Lions in 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2021 to losing a parent and building a family, Belonging is the autobiography of one of the most compelling figures in World rugby. Told with unflinching honesty, this is the ultimate story of what it takes and what it means to play for your country: what it means to belong.

It is estimated that the First World War claimed the lives of 40,000 Welshmen, all of them heroes whose sacrifice is honoured by a grateful nation. 'Call them to remembrance', which includes 120 illustrations and maps, tells the stories of 13 Welsh heroes who shared the common bond of having worn the famous red jersey of the Welsh international rugby team. Gwyn Prescott's sensitive and fascinating book, the product of over ten year's research and study, recovers the memory of these thirteen multi-talented and courageous Welshmen who gave their lives in the Great War of 1914-18, detailing their playing and military careers. Amongst their stories are the leading amateur golfer in Wales who represented Newport at five sports; the Cambridge choral scholar who gave up his job in India to volunteer for the Army; the flying Cardiff winger who impressed Lloyd George; and the "lion-hearted" hero of the famous Welsh victory over New Zealand in 1905.

'Rugby is great for the soul,' he writes, 'but terrible for the body.' Rugby hurts. It demands mental resilience and resistance to pain. It explores character, beyond a capacity to endure punishment. Dylan Hartley, one of England's most successful captains, tells a story of hard men and harsh truths. From the sixteen-year-old Kiwi who travelled alone to England, to the winner of ninety-seven international caps, he describes with brutal clarity the sport's increasing demand on players and the toll it takes on their mental health, as well as the untimely injury that shattered his dreams of leading England in the 2019 World Cup. The Hurt is rugby in the raw, a unique insight into the price of sporting obsession. 'Few have had more twists and turns in a pro rugby career' Robert Kitson, Guardian 'Anyone who cares about the game, in which he won 97 caps for England and played 250 times for Northampton, should read Hartley's book' Don McRae, Guardian

Mike Phillips is one of Welsh rugby's most decorated players. With multiple Grand Slams and Lions tours under his belt, he was revered all over the world for his aggressive, in-your-face style of play. Off the field, his early years were littered with controversy and scandal as he wrestled with the new-found fame that success brought. In this brutally honest, tell-all autobiography, Mike reveals his run-ins with the police on the streets of Cardiff, what really went on inside the Wales and Lions dressing rooms and the truth behind that fateful night outside McDonald's, when a scrape with a bouncer saw him hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons on the eve of a World Cup training camp. He also discusses the personal turmoil that, at times, engulfed him and how he was able to block it all out to become one of the best players in the world. Phillips opens up about every aspect of his much talked about career, from the many glorious highs to struggling with fame, coping with pressure, dealing with rejection and retirement while ultimately finding personal peace and happiness. He lifts the lids on his relationship with Warren Gatland and talks about the big characters in the dressing room, from Sam Warburton to Dan Carter. Mike Phillips: Half Truths - My Triumphs, My Mistakes, My Untold Story is a no-holds barred account of a rugby life lived to the full, revealing the real man behind the legend.

SHORTLISTED FOR INTERNATIONAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS. As Kieran Read prepares to call time on his distinguished New Zealand career at the end of the Rugby World Cup, this is the open and honest life story of one of rugby's greatest players, a legendary All Black and a two-time World Cup winner. Kieran Read first played for the All Blacks as a 23-year-old in 2008 and since then has amassed more than a century of Test appearances in the famous jersey. Now, after a stellar provincial, club and international career - including back-to-back World Cup victories - the New Zealand captain writes openly and honestly about his time in the game. Read takes to these pages with his trademark determination, lifting the lid on the unique pressures of succeeding as captain the most celebrated All Black of all time (Richie McCaw). He outlines the decisions that molded his career and uncovers the skills of the coaches who shaped him, while offering readers an inside account of how the world's greatest team functions and thrives. Read unpacks the emotional toll of injury and the ignominy of defeat, neatly illustrating the intense experience of representing a rugby-obsessed nation while delivering a masterclass in how to manage the many demands on the mind and on the body. Forthright and frank, Read's well-respected views on the game and its future are a must-read for rugby fans, and his take on the myriad personalities and the peccadilloes of his team-mates, coaches and opponents will be sure to surprise and delight. From the playing fields of Papakura to the summit of the sport, Read has faced every challenge head on. His life story if no exception.

'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.