During the 1970s and 1980s, Widnes R.LFC were labeled the 'Cup Kings'. When the team narrowly lost the 199.1 Challenge Cup Final against Wigan, it marked the end of 20 seasons of the Club as a major force in British Rugby League. 'End of an Era' is a chronicle of the last six of those 20 seasons from the 1987/88 until the 1992/93 season. Widnes won two successive Championships, three Premierships, the Lancashire Cup and the World Club Championship in that period. Anthony J. Quinn infers in his book that they could have achieved even more, and perhaps nominated British Rugby League until the advent of Super League in 1996. He suggests the famous World Club Championship victory in 1989 may have had "ramifications". He speculates that it may have cost a third successive Championship and a place in the 1990 Challenge Cup Final, which in turn may have led to the departures of coach Doug Laughton and star winger Martin Offiah from the Club. The author also gives his opinion that the Club should not have signed Jonathan Davies. Whilst acknowledging the Welshman's great performances for Widnes, he writes that his signing was a factor in the Club's financial problems that along with the departures of Laughton and Offiah resulted in an era ending before it should have done.

Authorative, comprehensive, all encompassing and the last word on the history of the British & Irish Lions - this book is essential reading for dedicated followers of the team that best represents the spirit of rugby and is THE ONLY OFFICIAL LIONS HISTORY This fully revised and updated edition includes a full review of the 2017 Tour to New Zealand and a preview of the 2021 Tour to South Africa Over 130 years of Lions rugby is chronicled in this authoritative and lavishly illustrated book which was originally written by Clem Thomas, (Lion #386), up to the 1993 Tour and then carried on by his son Greg and renowned rugby writer, Rob Cole. With over 500 pages of content and over 400 illustrations, including photographs, paintings, scrapbooks & memorabilia, the book is simply the most comprehensive and thorough re-telling of Lions' history - Each tour is covered in wonderful detail. This edition also carries a foreword by Lions Chairman, Jason Leonard #644 and there is a 75 page statistics section that includes: the score and team makeup of every Test played by the Lions, full lists of every Lion by A-Z and by order of appearance (from #1 Jack Anderton to #835 Finn Russell), records against each country, appearances, points, tries and so much more.

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.

Keith Earls started out in senior rugby as a teenage star and during the course of his long career has become one of the most admired and respected players of his generation. A British & Irish Lion at the age of 21, he is now closing in on his 34th birthday and still playing at the top of his game. He has won 93 caps for Ireland and played 179 times in the famous red of Munster. He started every game of the 2018 Six Nations campaign that culminated in an Irish Grand Slam victory. A lethal finisher blessed with thoroughbred speed, Earls is the second-highest try scorer of all time for his country. With Munster he is one try short of the all-time total and looks set to break that record next season. Behind the glittering success, there is another story to be told. He has achieved these milestones whilst being racked by private battles with his mental health for most of his career. A number of crises brought him to the brink of voluntary retirement from the game. A long series of injuries have taken their psychological toll too. A native of Limerick city, Earls grew up in one of its most socially disadvantaged housing estates. Moyross was blighted by crime and violence and he did not escape unscathed from the surrounding fear and trauma visited upon his beloved community. His natural sporting talent brought him into the privileged bastion of elite rugby union. His frank and fearless autobiography tells the story of his long struggle to reconcile the world whence he came with the world opened up by his brilliance with an oval ball. Earls has maintained a low profile throughout his career. For the first time he will talk in depth and at length about the inner turmoil that went unseen by team-mates, friends and fans. It is a confessional, intimate and courageous story of the pain that was a constant companion to the glory.

Rugby union has undergone immense change in the past two decades - introducing a World Cup, accepting professionalism and creating a global market in players - yet no authoritative English-language general history of the game has been published in that time. Until now. A Game for Hooligans brings the game's colourful story up to date to include the 2007 World Cup. It covers all of the great matches, teams and players but also explores the social, political and economic changes that have affected the course of rugby's development. It is an international history, covering not only Britain and France but also the great rugby powers of the southern hemisphere and other successful rugby nations, including Argentina, Fiji and Japan. Contained within are the answers to many intriguing questions concerning the game, such as why 1895 is the most important date in both rugby-union and rugby-league history and how New Zealand became so good and have remained so good for so long. There is also a wealth of anecdotes, including allegations of devil-worship at a Welsh rugby club and an account of the game's contribution to the Cuban Revolution. This is a must-read for any fan of the oval ball.