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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games > Rugby football > Rugby Union
SHORTLISTED FOR RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE 2020 TELEGRAPH SPORTS
BOOK AWARDS. 'excellent' Donald McRae, The Guardian 'Gatland is the
master' Sir Ian McGeechan 'Gatland is a coaching star' Sir Clive
Woodward 'Gats is one of the all-time great coaches' Sam Warburton
Warren Gatland is one of the world's most renowned and intriguing
rugby coaches of the modern era, leading Wales to four Six Nations
titles, three Grand Slams and two World Cup semi-finals and
masterminding two history-making tours as Head Coach of the British
and Irish Lions. As he leaves his post as Head Coach of Wales at
the end of the 2019 Rugby World Cup, Gatland's definitive
autobiography provides a colourful and vivid chronicle of an
extraordinary three decades at rugby's dynamic coal-face. The
personal journey has been rewarding and challenging in equal
measure, spanning many of the sport's most passionate heartlands
such as New Zealand, Ireland, England and, of course, Wales.
Gatland reflects in characteristically forthright and intelligent
fashion on a lifetime spent playing and coaching the sport which
has been his passion since as a young boy he first picked up an
oval ball on New Zealand's North Island, dreaming of joining the
ranks of the mighty All Blacks. Along the way we encounter the
greatest matches, players and rivalries the sport has to offer, get
introduced to a stunning cast of unforgettable characters who grace
the story with their humour and humanity, and emerge with a
striking appreciation of what makes this outstanding rugby man
tick.
'We spent all our time surrounded by police cordons and barbed
wire, never mind having our bus hijacked.' - Tommy Bedford,
Springboks No. 8 2019 and 2020 mark the fiftieth anniversary of the
controversial 1969/70 Springbok rugby tour of the British Isles - a
landmark event on both a sporting and political level. Taking place
during the time of South Africa's apartheid dispensation, the tour
was characterised throughout by violent demonstrations against the
'ambassadors of apartheid'. Scenes of chanting demonstrators at the
players' hotels and airports were not uncommon, nor was the sight
of protesters being dragged off the field of play by police. Smoke
bombs and flour bombs also became a match-day fixture. These were
wild and unnerving times for the players on tour, whose movements
were badly inhibited and who had to play hide-and-seek to avoid
possible violence between games of rugby. During a demanding tour
that lasted more than three months and took them to and fro between
England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, they endeavoured to sustain a
proud tradition of highly successful Springbok tours through the
Isles. Through personal interviews with the players, including team
captain Dawie de Villiers, vice-captain Tommy Bedford and other
senior members of the squad, as well as key figures such as
anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Hain, Rugby Behind Barbed Wire
takes readers into the inner circle of a besieged group of
sportsmen who just wanted to play rugby despite concerted efforts
to deny them. The author also looks at the political context of
events, and why so many felt that disrupting the tour was a matter
of moral and political necessity.
Absolutely Huge is a spoof biography of a fictional Welsh rugby
player, Gethin 'Huge' Hughes. Mimicking the standard sports
biography format, the book explores the highs and lows of his
remarkable and often controversial career both on and off the
pitch. An affectionate satire on Welsh rugby and the media hype
that surrounds it. -- Cyngor Llyfrau Cymru
The phenomenal international number one bestseller with exclusive interviews with Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, The Jersey is the first definitive story behind the greatest sports team on the planet.
With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals, and go to the 2019 World Cup as back-to-back World Champions. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world?
Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than 40 years, was given exclusive access to all the key figures in New Zealand rugby as he set out to understand the secrets behind the All Blacks success. From Steve Hansen to Beauden Barrett, Richie McCaw to the late Sir Colin Meads, Peter Bills talked at length with over 90 people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick.
This is a story of the first settlers, and the 'Originals' who forged the All Blacks legacy, right through to modern times. It draws heavily on the contributions made by all New Zealanders: players, coaches, officials, supporters and those who have worn the most recognized jersey in the world. Intrinsically, The Jersey goes to the heart of the All Blacks success. It is also an epic story of not just a rugby team but a nation, whose identities are inextricably linked. Additionally, it debates a question, terrifying for any of their opponents. Could the All Blacks get even better?
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