Winner of the Telegraph Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year Among the best stories in modern British team sport has been the rise of Exeter Chiefs. How, exactly, did an unfashionable rugby team from Devon emerge from obscurity to become the double champions of England and Europe? What makes them tick? What are their secrets? Exe Men is a compelling story of regional pride, fierce rural identity, larger-than-life local heroes, remarkable characters, epic resilience, big city snobbery, geographical separation, steepling ambition and personal sacrifice which will strike a chord with anyone who enjoys a classic underdog story. This is not any old rugby book, it is the inside story of Exeter's incredible journey from the edge of nowhere to the summit of the English and European club game.

What does it take to become one of the most successful coaches in the world? Eddie Jones is one of the most successful sports coaches of all time. From coaching three different nations to Rugby World Cup Finals and with a winning record with England of nearly 80%, Eddie Jones knows what it takes to lead and manage high performance teams. What can sport teach us about leadership? For the first time, Eddie Jones shows just what it takes to be a leader in a high performance and high pressure environment and how these lessons can be applied to every walk of life, from coaching the U9 rugby team to leading a multinational organization to simply doing your job better. Have a voracious ambition to improve every day As he explains the High Performance Cycle of Success at the heart of his philosophy, Eddie Jones reveals the lessons he has learnt from Sir Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Pep Guardiola as well as from the founder of Uniqlo and Ron Adams from the NBA. He also gives a detailed analysis of his own performance as a coach as well as how he gets the best out of the players and coaches around him and what he saw in Tom Curry that no one else saw, which makes him think that he could be the next Richie McCaw. Always start with the end in mind Drawing on stories of nearly thirty years of coaching, including the 2003, 2007, 2015 and 2019 World Rugby campaigns, the full story of England's 2021 Six Nations campaign as well as why it takes humour, humility and relentless curiosity to lead an eclectic mix of superstars from Maro Itoje to James Haskell, George Smith to Kyle Sinckler, to create teams that are relentlessly hungry to win, Leadership is the ultimate rugby book about what it takes to be the best. Written with Donald McRae, two-time winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award, Leadership is the book for anyone who wants to learn how to build and lead a team to success.

Pairing epic sports photography with articles from The Times archive, this volume brings together 100 of the most iconic moments from World Cup history. With striking, full-colour photography, rarely seen archival images and sensational reporting on the action, The Times Rugby World Cup Moments tells the story of one of the world's largest single sporting events as it unfolded on - and off - the pitch. Featuring the most memorable tries, historic drop goals, legendary players and unforgettable controversies, these split-second moments have changed the course of Rugby World Cup history and generated a global sensation along the way.

Cheslin roared with happiness as the final whistle blew in Yokohama. They were champions! Later, as his captain lifted the 2019 Rugby World Cup trophy into the air, he felt prouder than he'd ever been before - of himself, his team and his country.

Cheslin Kolbe tells the story of a kid from Kraaifontein, Cape Town, whose talent took him to international sports stardom, first to Toulouse, France, and eventually to the call-up that would change his life forever: to play for the Springbok 2019 World Cup squad. It's the heartwarming story of a small player with a big heart whose signature sidestep helped the Springboks win the World Cup trophy for South Africa.

Cheslin Kolbe is part of the "Road to Glory" series, which covers some of South Africa's sporting legends as they set out on their journeys to becoming national and international stars.

Former Australian rugby union legend and World Cup winner, now acclaimed television sports pundit, on his glittering career in the game - and how close he came to losing his life. Few players in the history of the game have had as illustrious a career as Wallaby fly-half and captain Michael Lynagh. In an era when Australia took the rugby world by storm with their glittering array of mercurial talent, in chief orchestrator and courageous captain Lynagh they had a pivotal figure at fly-half who shaped their style of play and at the same time played a major ambassadorial role in the world game. Yet fast forward to that April day in 2012, as Lynagh lay partially blinded in intensive care at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, his life hanging by a thread following a major stroke, his wife and three young boys on the other side of the world. The day that defined the rest of his life. Lynagh's story is one of corruscating highs and crippling lows. It's the personal tale of a sportsman playing to the extremes of his profession, but also a human tale of surviving debilitating trauma and finding a new meaning to life.

A hilarious and, at times, moving and soul-searching account of rugby union's rollercoaster days in the 1990s, told through the eyes of a player who saw it all as the sport lurched shambolically from the crazy final days of amateurism into the professional era. Martin Bayfield has a story to tell. Indeed, some might describe it as a very tall story. Standing at 6ft 10ins, the former England and British and Irish Lions second row remains one of the tallest players ever to have played international rugby, and his immense physical stature made him one of the most destructive forwards in the world game. He played for England during one of the most successful eras in English rugby, winning two Grand Slams alongside legendary players such as Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott, Brian Moore and Rory Underwood. His international heyday came at a seminal moment for rugby union when, almost overnight, it was transformed from a noble minority sport to a celebrity event, with stories appearing on the front pages of the British tabloids. Now Bayfield is ready to reveal the inside story of that rip-roaring decade that changed forever the face of English rugby. The book provides an emotional link between the generations, so that today's fans can reconnect with rugby's soul. Renowned as one of rugby's best and most entertaining storytellers, the former policeman and Hagrid's body double has written a brilliant and very funny love letter to a sport that continues to inspire and entertain millions.

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder meets I May Destroy You, this dark YA thriller will have your heart in your mouth from the very first page! "Gina Blaxill weaves together a dark and engrossing tale that will grip readers from start to finish." Ann Sei Lin, author of Rebel Skies. "Brilliantly twisty and intense!" Kat Ellis, author of Wicked Little Deeds. "It asks us to look at ourselves. You won't be able to put it down until the tense final pages let you go." Bryony Pearce, author of Little Rumours. Tragedy hits a teenage New Year's party . . . When Alana's best friend is found drowned in a pool, the forensic reports discover date-rape drug GHB in her blood. GHB from a drink Alana knows was meant for her. Despite the swirling rumours, the suspected group of boys seem untouchable. To investigate, Alana allows herself to be pulled into their glittering orbit. But among shifting alliances, changing alibis and buried secrets, can she pinpoint which of the boys is responsible before she becomes their next target? Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson, Karen McManus and Chelsea Pitcher. From the Carnegie nominated author, Gina Blaxill. A bold feminist read with a pacy thriller plot that YA fans will love. Carnegie-nominated author Gina Blaxill looks head on at privilege, bias and sexual assault in a way that will resonate with Young Adults today. Perfect for fans of Holly Jackson, Karen McManus and Chelsea Pitcher.

Behind the Silver Fern is a comprehensive history of rugby's most famous yet enigmatic team, the New Zealand All Blacks, told by the men who have had the honour of wearing the iconic black jersey. From the legendary 1905 'Originals' all the way through to the World Cup team of 2019, this unique history of the All Blacks lifts the lid on their experiences like never before. Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coaches from across the decades, Tony Johnson and Lynn McConnell unveil the compelling truth of what it means to play for the most successful team in the history of sport - all the glory and the drama on the field, the great friendships off it, and the bonds of a brotherhood that extend far beyond the bright lights of a Test match. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of All Black rugby - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

This is the first book to introduce key themes in the study of women's rugby from multi-disciplinary perspectives, including history, sociology, gender studies, sport development and sport science. Featuring contributions from leading researchers and former international players from across Canada, England, France, New Zealand and the USA, the book opens with a global history of women's rugby, locating the game in the wider context of the development of women's sport and exploring important social issues such as race, gender and violence. The book then looks at training and performance analysis at pitch level, helping the reader get a sense of the game from the ground up, before focusing on women's rugby through the eyes of others (such as rugby coaches), women's experiences of rugby's culture and promotional culture. This is fascinating reading for anybody with an interest in women's sport, rugby, sport and social issues, sport development, or sport history.

World in their Hands recounts the remarkable events that led to a group of friends from south-west London staging the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup in 1991. The tournament was held just 13 years after teams from University College London and King's contested a match that catalysed the growth of the women's game in the UK, and the organisers overcame myriad obstacles before, during and after the World Cup. Those challenges, which included ingrained misogyny, motherhood, a recession, the Gulf War and the collapse of the Soviet Union, provide a fitting framing device for a book that celebrates female achievement in the face of adversity. Although ostensibly a story about women's rugby, this is a tale that has rare crossover appeal. It is not only the account of a group of inspirational women who took on the institutional misogyny that existed in rugby clubs across the globe to put on a first ever Women's Rugby World Cup. It is also the compelling and relatable tale of how those women, their peers and others in the generations before them, reshaped the idea of what it means to be a woman, finding acceptance and friendship on boggy rugby pitches. At the time, with the men's game tying itself up in knots about professionalism and apartheid, these women were a breath of fresh air. Three decades on, their achievements deserve to be highlighted to a wider audience.

Coach Loffie is 'n alles-in-een-handleiding vir alle aspiranten reeds gevestigde afrigters, sportlui en sportliefhebbers. Dis geskoei op die koestering van drome, Loffie se persoonlike belewenisse tydens sy grootword- en weermagjare en sy ervaring as speler en afrigter. Hy fokus op genot en veiligheid binne die sportstrukture en rugsteun sy benadering met waardevolle bydraes deur 'n biokinetikus, 'n mediese dokter, 'n fisioterapeut, 'n dieetkundige, 'n tegniese spesialis, 'n sportagent, 'n lewensafrigter en 'n geestelike leier

For 125 years the British & Irish Lions have stood out as a peerless emblem in world sport. This unique account of the best from the four Home Nations examines every tour in the Lions' history, including the victorious 2013 tour to Hong Kong and Australia, told in the players' words. Behind the Lions sees rugby writers from across the Home Nations delve to the heart of what it means to be a Lion, interviewing a vast array of former and current players to uncover the passion, pride and exhilaration experienced when wearing the famous red jersey. It is a tale of heartbreak and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. This is the story of the British & Irish Lions in their own words.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2020 - RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR This is a complete history of the Welsh rugby union team - told by the players themselves. Based on a combination of painstaking research into the early years of the Wales team to interviews with a vast array of Test match players and coaches from the Second World War to the present day, Ross Harries delves to the very heart of what it means to play for Wales, painting a unique and utterly compelling picture of the game in the only words that can truly do so: the players' own. Behind the Dragon lifts the lid on what it is to pull on the famous red shirt - the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the heart-warming tales of friendship and humour off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of Welsh rugby - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR 'Engage!' was the last word Matt Hampson heard before dislocating his neck while in rugby training with other young England hopefuls. On a cold, grey, overcast day in 2005, the cream of young English rugby gathered at a Northampton training ground. Matt Hampson, 'Hambo' to his mates, was one of them. He had dreamt of playing rugby for England ever since he had picked up a rugby ball at school. His skill, conviction and dedication had brought him to the cusp of realising that dream, in an England U21 team that included Olly Morgan, Toby Flood, Ben Foden and James Haskell. But as the two sets of forwards engaged for a scrum on the training field, the scrum collapsed and Matt, who played tight-head prop, took the full force of two opposing sides. In that moment his life changed forever. Paul Kimmage went to visit Matt as he recuperated, and wrote a piece for the Sunday Times which won him his third successive SJA sports interviewer of the year award. They struck up a friendship and here, Paul tells Matt's whole story, in all its intimate detail. From the build-up to the dreadful day, to Matt's recuperation, to his struggle to adjust to normal life again, to his family and friends, to other tragic incidents on the rugby field, to the response of the RFU, this is a story of terrible sadness yet unadorned triumph and joy, of anger yet of reconciliation and peace . . . of a boy who became a man.

'A mesmerising, unforgettable journey around world rugby. ' – Donald McRae – Twice Winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year ‘Magnificent … a hugely intelligent and entertaining interweaving series of tales that gets into the “how� of rugby.’ - Stuart Barnes, Sunday Times and Times columnist, former Bath and England fly half --- Contrasting characters, colliding cultures, the same oval-shaped ball. A journey to find the game’s most remarkable people, teams and places, and unearth the true meaning of rugby greatness. What makes rugby special? Which individuals and teams have defined the modern game? Ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, Around the World in 80 Minutes charts the ‘golden era’ of global rugby union between 1973 and 2023 and goes in search of the sport’s most influential trailblazers. Robert Kitson, the Guardian’s long-time rugby union correspondent, assesses the game’s current health, tracks down the battered gladiators of yesteryear and asks some pertinent questions. Does rugby retain its old rugged charm? What does its future look like? And what, ultimately, constitutes rugby ‘greatness’? Observant, amusing and thought-provoking, the journey takes in some of the game's more prominent names – including David Campese, Brian O’Driscoll, Maggie Alphonsi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Eddie Jones and Sir Clive Woodward – to reflect on rugby’s intangible shared joy. Millions of fans continue to find rugby maddeningly irresistible and endlessly compelling. This book is for them, and for anyone else wondering where the appeal lies.

'A rollicking read and a mighty achievement' - Donald McRae, The Guardian 'Magnificent' - Owen Slot, The Times The 1997 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa is one of the most iconic in rugby history. Written off at home and abroad, Martin Johnson's men were given no hope of success against the world champion Springboks in their own backyard. But a combination of brilliant coaching, astute selections and outstanding players laid the foundations for the touring side's outstanding attacking mindset and brutal stonewall defence. On the other side was a team expected to stamp their authority on the tourists and confirm their place as the best side on the planet. But with political, racial and economic scandals swirling around the Springbok camp, plus a rookie coach parachuted into office just before the tour began, the hosts were under huge pressure. In a Test series that will go down in legend as one of the most compelling of all time, the sides could barely be separated. This is the inside story from both camps as they battle for supremacy, lifting the lid like never before as a huge cast of characters look back on those extraordinary weeks and the impact it had on their lives and careers thereafter. Hilarious, insightful and spine-chilling, Tom English and Peter Burns provide the perfect read for all Lions fans.

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.

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.

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!

All the fun of Portico's bestselling Strangest series, now in quiz form!

Test your rugby knowledge with this handy quiz book, packed with fun and challenging quiz questions based around the weirdest events from more than a century of rugby history.

Quiz categories include: Famous Firsts and Lasts Trophy Cabinet Unexpected Interruptions Men and Women Behaving Badly Political Connections The Numbers Game Family Ties Never Mind the Weather.

Whether you're testing your friends, practising for pub quizzes or just reading it in an armchair, this book will take your rugby knowledge to a whole new level.

Brilliant, honest, combative – Eddie Jones is a gigantic yet enigmatic figure in world rugby and a true legend of the game. In My Life And Rugby he tells his story for the first time, including the full inside story of England’s 2019 World Cup campaign.

Eddie Jones is one of the most experienced and decorated coaches in world rugby. He career has spanned four World Cups; from losing to England in the 100th minute in 2003, working with South Africa when they won in 2007, and causing the greatest upset in 2015 when he masterminded the Japanese defeat of South Africa.

Since taking over as head coach of England in 2015 Eddie Jones has masterminded a complete revival of the national team. He has won the Six Nations Championship back-to-back, including England’s first grand slam in a generation, their first ever whitewash of Australia, as well as taking them on their longest ever winning streak.

In his explosive autobiography Jones shows how his fiercely competitive attitude, his love of coaching and his philosophy of the game were formed while growing up in a tough working-class suburb of Sydney as a small half-Japanese kid, playing schoolboy rugby alongside the legendary Ella brothers.

Learning from the extreme highs and lows of his own playing career – the numerous successes playing for Randwick and New South Wales but also the painful disappointment of never playing for Australia – he shows what it takes to be the best in the world and how everything he has learnt about the game on and off the pitch has gone into plotting England’s route to the top of World Rugby.

My Life And Rugby is the story of one of the most compelling and singular figures in rugby, told with unflinching honesty this is the ultimate rugby book for all fans of the sport.

Fuel your training the smart way. Boost your performance and achieve your body goals, with the right recipes and correct nutritional advice from rugby superstar and bestselling author James Haskell and one of the UK's top performance chefs and current England football chef, Omar Meziane. Clear, authoritative advice from James and Omar, the Cooking for Fitness dream team 79 everyday easy recipes to fuel your training Learn how the right nutrition can improve your performance Low-carb and high-carb meals with full nutritional breakdown * Easy to read and easy to use

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.

THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER ‘Hilarious, and straight talking but also articulate and insightful – I am just hugely fond of this guy’ –Eddie Jones ‘James Haskell: what a flanker, what a book’ –Rugby World ‘I’d like to be remembered as a player who showed that you can be incredibly professional but also a lot of fun – a bit of a joker in the changing room, but the ultimate competitor on the pitch. That should have been the subtitle of this book, really…’ One of rugby’s most ferocious flankers and biggest characters, James Haskell has had an extraordinary, global experience of the game, having played for the Wasps, Northampton and England, and in New Zealand, France and Japan. After seventeen years and with 77 international caps under his sizeable belt, he has a shitload to say about rugby life – from pitch to pub and everywhere in between.   In What A Flanker, Haskell sheds fresh light on the dynamics and the day-to-day of the game. Whether he’s recalling the most brutal team socials; dispelling the myths surrounding New Zealand’s dominance; introducing his Japanese teammates to manscaping or calling out play-acting in the modern game, no subject is off limits.   Side-splittingly funny and ruthlessly honest, What A Flanker delves into the touring, drinking, training, eating and sometimes unconscionable antics of the professional rugby player. It’s an unforgettable read, even if there are some stories you’d rather forget…

England Rugby On This Day revisits the most magical and memorable moments from the national team's distinguished history, mixing in a maelstrom of anecdotes and legendary characters to produce an irresistibly dippable diary - with an entry for every day of the year. From the first ever rugby international (the 1871 meeting with Scotland) to their exploits at the 2019 Rugby World Cup and beyond, the book covers all the highs and lows of 150 years of international rugby. With a record number of grand slams and triple crowns, England are the most successful team in the Six Nations. They reached the pinnacle of the game when they won the 2003 World Cup but have also suffered heartache in three losing finals. Relive 4 January 1936 when Prince Alexander Obolensky stunned the All Blacks, 5 March 1980 when John Carleton sealed a long-awaited grand slam with a hat-trick of tries, and of course 22 November 2003 - the day Jonny Wilkinson kicked England to World Cup glory in Sydney.