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Books > Sport & Leisure > Sports & outdoor recreation > Ball games > Rugby football > Rugby Union
My book, or memoir, is mainly a very light hearted look at my rugby
union experiences both on and off the field. My stories began in
1958 when I was 10 and a pupil at George Heriot's school in
Edinburgh. As I started to recount my early experiences in rugby
union lots of other general boyhood, adolescent and later more
adult moments came to mind. Some stories have nothing to do with
rugby but I thought they might bring a smile to the faces of some
people as they may see themselves in similar circumstances. My
Rugby stories include my times at Heriot's School, Heriot's Former
Pupils Rugby Club, Nottinghamians RFC, Aberdeenshire RFC and Mackie
Academy FPRFC in Stonehaven. I was president of Mackie Academy
FPRFC twice and in that period I met many famous International
players from all of the then Five Nations as they kindly agreed to
speak at the club dinners. They include Scottish stars Andy Irvine,
Jim Telfer, Jim Aitken, Iain Milne and his brothers Kenny and
David. Fran Cotton of England and Gareth Edwards of Wales also
graced the Mackie dinners. Jo Maso the famous French Centre also
features in the book as I recount an amazing story involving him
and Mackie Academy FP's . I was employed as Secretary and General
Manager of Heriot's Rugby Club from 1998 to 2004 and in that time I
had the privilege of meeting players from all over the world as
they trained with their International colleagues at Heriot's school
playing fields, Goldenacre. Towards the end of my tenure at
Heriot's I was close to much of the turmoil that beset the Scottish
Rugby Union and Scottish club rugby. Heriot's were largely
responsible for halting a likely meltdown of the Scottish Rugby
Union in 2004/2005 and I tell that story at the end of my book.
Rugby kicks of the book and closes it too so I have called my
memoir Wrapped in Rugby.
Dan Carter's last game as an All Black culminated with him declared
Man of the Match following the 2015 Rugby World Cup final at
Twickenham - an unforgettable ending to the career of the greatest
fly-half of all time. But along with the triumphs of his signature
World Cup win, his performance against the Lions in 2005, and an
unprecedented run of Bledisloe Cup successes, there was also the
pain and doubt he felt during a prolonged period of injury and
rehab following the 2011 World Cup. He watched that victory from
the sidelines, as he had the All Blacks' defeats in two previous
tournaments. Indeed, heading into the 2015 World Cup he had never
finished the competition on his own terms. His autobiography tells
of that redemption, and gets you up close and personal with one of
the most celebrated sportsmen of our time. Threaded throughout the
book is an intimate diary of his final year as a Crusader and All
Black, during which he worked tirelessly to make one last run at
that elusive goal: a World Cup victory achieved on the field. Dan
Carter's autobiography is essential reading for all sports fans.
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.
EasiCoach Rugby Skills Activities contain ready-made,
age-appropriate, safe training activities. This entry-level volume
covers U7 Mini-Tag & U8 Mini-Tag, helping coaches and young
players understand the basic concepts, and is part of the EasiCoach
Rugby Skills Curriculum. If you are new to coaching and not sure
what to coach, or even how to coach, help is at hand, even for
"non-rugby" volunteers. EasiCoach U7 Mini-Tag & U8 Mini-Tag has
simple activities for beginner coaches and players. They are called
EasiCoach because they are simple and easy to follow. EasiCoach
will help you to quickly understand what it is you're trying to
achieve and see what you need to do from just a few words and
pictures. You can grasp the key do's and don'ts at a glance. The
activity sheets tell you the equipment you need (never more than
basics), and allow you to cater for more or fewer players at your
session. Using EasiCoach helps you to speak to your players with
confidence, and in addition, by following all the materials in each
manual, your players will be learning the right skills for the
right age group every season, because all the activities are part
of a curriculum.
EasiCoach Rugby Skills Activities contain ready-made,
age-appropriate, safe training activities. This volume covers the
older age groups U11-U12 and U13-U16, helping coaches and young
players understand the basic concepts, and is part of the EasiCoach
Rugby Skills Curriculum. If you are new to coaching and not sure
what to coach, or even how to coach, help is at hand, even for
"non-rugby" volunteers. They are called EasiCoach activities
because they are simple and easy to follow. EasiCoach will help you
to quickly understand what it is you're trying to achieve and see
what you need to do from just a few words and pictures. You can
grasp the key do's and don'ts at a glance. The activity sheets tell
you the equipment you need (never more than basics), and allow you
to cater for more or fewer players at your session. Using EasiCoach
helps you to speak to your players with confidence, and in
addition, by following all the materials in each manual, your
players will be learning the right skills for the right age group
every season, because all the activities are part of a curriculum.
With a foreword by former England manager Sir Clive Woodward,
Everything You Need To Know For Coaching Rugby is Dan Cottrell's
best-selling manual created for new and aspiring coaches of junior
and senior players. Anxious about coaching rugby to children? Maybe
you're already coaching, but sometimes struggle to get your points
across to your players? Perhaps you find yourself frequently
running out of preparation time or think your sessions are becoming
dull? This comprehensive book, which contains more than 100 drills
and games for coaching all the basics, is designed to help you
build your players' techniques, skills and understanding of the
whole game from ages 8 to 16. Divided into two parts, part one
focuses on the basics of working with young players in a safe and
rewarding environment. Part two contains more than practical
training sessions, games and activities to coach and enhance all
the basic skills of rugby union.
The Black & White Story traces the long and proud 125 year history of the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union and their team The Sharks.
The Natal Rugby Union, later renamed the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union, was founded in 1890 and there have been many heroes in the 125 years. Some of them were players, others administrators; and then of course there were the men who spent hours on training fields with schools, clubs and province, and those who refereed matches at all levels.
Natal only won fifty per cent of their Currie Cup matches in their first 60 years and then came the surprise first final in 1956 when a gust of wind cost them the title. It took sixty-six years for the union to enjoy its first Currie Cup final.
But the province did produce its fair share of quality players, including Springboks Bill Payne, Wally Clarkson and Philip Nel, who led South Africa on the country’s unbeaten tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1937.
Two of those coaches, in particular, turned the fortunes of Natal around in the years before they became known as the Sharks. Izak van Heerden became world-renowned for his tactics and emphasis on skills to play running rugby. This transformed Natal into a real power and also a crowd favourite. And fifteen years later Ian McIntosh identified a (totally different) ‘new style’. This put Natal at the forefront following some lean years and bore fruit when they won the Currie Cup for a first time in 1990.
Retold in detail is the wonderful 25 year period following The Sharks first Currie Cup win in 1990 (after being a team playing B section rugby in the 1980s), of the construction of Kings Park Stadium, and how today, The Sharks (previously known as The Banana Boys) have become one of the leading rugby brands in the world.
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