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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games > Rugby football > Rugby Union
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.
The extraordinary, life-affirming autobiography of rugby legend
DODDIE WEIR There has never been anyone quite like Doddie Weir. A
giant of the game and a rugby icon, his story is unique,
inspirational and charged with a passion for living life to the
full. In a rugby career which had huge highs and shocking lows,
Doddie faced some of the greatest players in the game, from Jonny
Wilkinson to Jonah Lomu, Brian O'Driscoll to Scott Quinnell and
Martin Johnson to Joost van der Westhuizen, and set stadiums alight
when "on the charge like a mad giraffe". Now, at the age of 48,
Doddie is facing an entirely different adversary: Motor Neurone
Disease. But Doddie Weir has never been one to shy away from a
challenge, on or off the pitch, and he has faced up to MND with
undaunted positivity, using his boundless energy to raise funds for
MND research and support, with more than GBP1million already raised
and committed in the first year. MY NAME'5 DODDIE is a courageous
and hugely entertaining celebration of a remarkable life being
lived to the max. You will laugh, you may cry, but Doddie's story
is an absolute must-read - rugby fan or not.
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