-
Irish Rugby Top 50 Players
We talked to leading rugby journalists, we talked to ex-players, we talked to fans and we looked at the playing records of all the stand-out internationals to have played rugby for Ireland before compiling a list of the 50 greatest Irish rugby players in the sport s history.
Many players were impossible to leave out such as Rory Best, Mike Gibson, Jamie Heaslip, Jack Kyle, Paul O’Connell, Brian O Driscoll, Ronan O’Gara, Jonnie Sexton and Keith Wood. While Lions’ legends such as Willie John McBride, Tom Kiernan, Syd Millar and Tony O’Reilly were also a shoo-in.
There is also a hefty selection of modern-day players including Keith Earls, Tadhg Furlong, Cian Healy, Rob Kearney, Conor Murray, Peter O’Mahoney and the new whizkid winger Jacob Stockdale. While there is also space for the great characters of the game, none more so than Peter ‘The Claw’ Clohessy, Willie Duggan and Moss Keane, who didn’t win the most caps but were fans’ favourites because of the spirit in which they played.
With a foreword by Ollie Campbell, the Ireland and British and Irish Lions flyhalf, each entry lists the key facts, statistics and achievements that help show why the selected players are part of the game s elite.
Read more
£10.80£12.30Irish Rugby Top 50 Players
£10.80£12.30 -
Rugby: Talking A Good Game: The Perfect Gift for Rugby Fans
Ian Robertson joined the BBC during the golden age of radio broadcasting and was given a crash course in the art of sports commentary from some of the greatest names ever to sit behind a microphone: Cliff Morgan and Peter Bromley, Bryon Butler and John Arlott. Almost half a century after being introduced to the rugby airwaves by his inspiring mentor Bill McLaren, the former Scotland fly-half looks back on the most eventful of careers, during which he covered nine British and Irish Lions tours and eight World Cups, including the 2003 tournament that saw England life the Webb Ellis Trophy and “Robbo” pick up awards for his spine-tingling description of Jonny Wilkinson’s decisive drop goal.
He reflects on his playing days, his role in guiding Cambridge University to a long spell of Varsity Match supremacy and his relationships with some of the union code’s most celebrated figures, including Sir Clive Woodward and Jonah Lomu. He also writes vividly and hilariously of his experiences as a horse racing enthusiast, his meetings with some of the world’s legendary golfers and his dealings with a stellar cast of sporting outsiders, from Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor to Nelson Mandela. It is a hugely entertaining story that begins in a bygone rugby age, yet has much to say about the game in the here and now.
Read more
£2.80 -
The Iron Duke: Bobby Windsor – The Life and Times of a Working-Class Rugby Hero
Lions legend Bobby Windsor has enjoyed triumphs beyond the dreams of most international players but has also suffered personal tragedy. His rugby career as the best hooker in the British Isles during the second golden era of Welsh rugby in the 1970s is a turbulent tale of blood and thunder on the pitch. There are riotous incidents off the pitch, including unscheduled fights with professional boxers, revelations about illegal payments during the so-called amateur era and what Windsor did to upset the Establishment and become blackballed by one of the most famous clubs in the world.
Windsor’s irrepressible sense of humour comes shining through on every page, except when he gives chapter and verse on the personal crisis that drove him to plan suicide.
The Iron Duke is the no-holds-barred, warts-and-all story of a working-class Welsh folk hero who rose from humble beginnings to become a permanent member of the greatest Lions team in the history of rugby union.
Read more
£0.80 -
Made for Rugby: The Autobiography
A controversial autobiography by one of rugby league’s most famous players – Barrie McDermottRead more
£16.10 -
Carps: The Rugby World Cup’s Father: The Biography of John Kendall-Carpenter
John Kendall-Carpenter was a truly extraordinary man. He captained the England rugby team in the early 1950s, when he was widely regarded as one of the cleverest and most tactically astute players in the world. At the same time he launched out on a career in education which saw him not only hold the headmastership of three well-known public schools but also play a prominent role in the Headmasters’ Conference in its negotiations with the Labour Government in the 1970s to ensure the continued independence of that sector. In addition, the first Rugby World Cup simply would never have happened without him. President of the Rugby Union in 1980, he was then elected as England’s representative on the International Rugby Board where his role was to defend the amateur code which was coming under increasing pressure from professionalism. His conversion to the cause of international rugby and the commercial potential of the Word Cup, with his subsequent passion and energy, was instrumental in getting the first World Cup in 1987 off the ground and also paved the way towards the professional game. He then threw himself into the planning of the next World Cup but sadly died just a year before it started in 1991. John Kendall-Carpenter was remarkable man with many friends – and a few enemies! – not only in sport, but in education, the theatre, among politicians and writers. He is still a legend in Cornwall – his adopted home. This biography will appeal to every dedicated rugby supporter as well as those interested in sport in general and how rugby emerged from the fields of English public schools to the huge commercial sporting event it is today.Read more
£12.20£16.10 -
One of Us: England’s Greatest Rugby Players
In 2013, England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster embarked on an ambitious project to turn Twickenham Stadium into England Rugby’s ‘sixteenth man’. Drawing upon the rich heritage created by all those who have worn the red rose since the birth of international rugby, he introduced a series of innovations around the stadium, which has since become the most advanced rugby ground in Europe. Inside the England dressing room, a roll of honour records the names of all those to have worn the shirt. Each player, when selected to represent their country, receives a unique number that indicates their place in a tradition that began on 27 March 1871 at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, when the world’s first international rugby match took place. The current team are seated around the dressing room according to their position. Behind where each player sits is a list of the ten players per position to have represented England, under the title One of Us. This fascinating book explores the process behind these innovations and details the achievements of those deemed to be England’s greatest players.Read more
£3.30 -
Twickenham: The Home of England Rugby
Twickenham Stadium is the home of Rugby Union and the England national rugby team. It is the largest stadium in the world to be devoted purely to this sport, the second largest stadium in the UK, and the third largest in Europe. In this official publication, Phil McGowan takes us on an illustrated tour of the long and illustrious history of this magnificent stadium, featuring some of the legendary players that have trodden the hallowed ground of Twickers, the matches that have taken place, and the history that is woven into the fabric of the ground. Lavishly illustrated with images and memorabilia from the World Rugby Museum’s archive in full colour, this is a tribute not only to the history of the stadium, but to Rugby Union itself.Read more
£15.10£19.00Twickenham: The Home of England Rugby
£15.10£19.00 -
Behind the Silver Fern: Playing Rugby for New Zealand (Behind the Jersey)
Go behind the scenes with the world’s most successful sports team. This is a complete 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 Richie McCaw’s record-breaking back-to-back World Cup champions of 2015, this is a history of the All Blacks like you have never experienced it before. Thanks to exhaustive archival research and exclusive new material garnered from a vast array of interviews with players and coachesfrom across the decades, Behind the All Blacks unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play for the team that has dominated Test match rugby for over a century – all the trials and tribulations behind the scenes, the glory, the drama and the honour on the field, and the passionate friendships and bonds of a brotherhood off it. Absorbing and illuminating, this is the ultimate history of New Zealand rugby – told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.
Read more
£7.60£19.00 -
The Death of Rugby: Neil Back’s Story
Fourteen years since his autobiography, Size Doesn’t Matter, English rugby’s most decorated flanker, Neil Back, returns with a tale of triumphs, heartaches and broken promises. From his anti-hero role as ‘The Hand of Back’ in Leicester Tigers’ European Cup triumph over Munster, to Grand Slam glory and the 2003 World Cup with England, Neil is never far from the story. The Death of Rugby dissects the Lions’ disastrous 2005 tour of New Zealand, the ousting of his mentor Dean Richards from Leicester Tigers, and Neil’s three years in charge of Leeds, before being recruited by The Rugby Football Club, and why Neil and his colleagues had to walk away, despite an unbeaten season, and league and cup double. Neil deals with the adjustment from professional sportsman into family and regular working life, despite a critical illness in 2013, which has shaped his perspective on life.Read more
£14.10£18.00The Death of Rugby: Neil Back’s Story
£14.10£18.00 -
Jason Leonard: Full Time the Autobiography of a Rugby Legend
Leonard’s story starts as rugby started – in the amateur days, when the Cockney Carpenter began playing for Barking and Saracens in the days before multi-million pound business owners and sponsorship deals. His big break came when he was invited to join the England squad for their tour to Argentina in 1990 and has been capped 100 times.
It was a tour that precipitated one of the greatest periods in the history of the British game, and Leonard provides a compelling insight into life behind the international scenes with England and the Lions, as well as the domestic game through his time at Saracens and Harlequins.
Once told that he would never walk again after undergoing life-saving surgery on his neck, Leonard describes the torment he went through during this period – both physical and financial – and how he fought against all the odds to re-establish himself on the international stage. With 100 Test caps won to date, and a career in rugby union spanning two decades, there is no more experienced player in the modern game.
Leonard has plenty to tell about the people he has met during his career – Rob Andrew, Will Carling, Lawrence Dallaglio, Brian Moore, Dick Best and Clive Woodward all feature – and with nicknames like ‘The Fun Bus’ and ‘The Scourge of the Barking Barmaids’ the stories are as colourful and controversial as the man himself.
All is revealed in this fascinating portrait of an English rugby legend who also reflects upon England’s 2002 Six Nations campaign, his hopes for his international future and a tough year for Quins.
Read more
£11.40 -
What Now
What Now is written to assist people through times of change. It’s particularly relevant in these very trying times of COVID-19. It is not a how-to manual; it’s an entertaining and humbling account of how one person discovered the most powerful transformation force of all! How he recreated himself after being unceremoniously sacked from the job he had dreamed about as a teenager. What Now tells the story of how a barefoot and frightened little boy from the remote bush of Australia went on to play State of Origin for Queensland, represent Australia and achieve his dream of being a Head Coach, leading the London Broncos alongside Sir Richard Branson onto the hallowed turf of Wembley Stadium. After tragically losing his father at the tender age of three, he unconsciously sought out older people as role models. In his story, Dan Stains reflects on his quest in search of the most powerful transformational force available. The lessons he uncovered on this journey lead the reader on a path to reveal their own What Now. The rollercoaster ride takes the reader on a sometimes uneasy and humbling path. From the foothills of East Cooyar, to the raucous applause of screaming fans at the best football stadiums in the world, Dan discovers that the ‘open sesame’ to change is by simply loving all of life, including and especially yourself, and the rest is taken care of.Read more
£9.50What Now
£9.50 -
Fringes: Life on the Edge of Professional Rugby
Updated edition of the #1 Amazon Bestseller
LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2020Sports books tend to detail extraordinary achievements, triumphs against the odds or commemorate World Cup winning captains.
This book does not do that.
For many, playing professional sport is the Dream Job. Few manage it, very few make it to the top and for the rest, life is very different. This is their story.
In Fringes, Ben Mercer invites you to witness life at the outer edges of professional rugby. This is a first hand account of what life is like as a journeyman professional athlete. You play, but to the wider public you don’t exist. You earn but you don’t drive a flash car. You sometimes pack out a stadium but sometimes, you play in a deserted park. This is the story for the majority of sports professionals. Only the minority taste the top, only one person gets to lift the cup or win the medal, only 15 get to play for England at any one time. For the rest, that’s not the case.
Ben Mercer is a former professional rugby player who after becoming disillusioned and uninspired plying his trade in the English Second Division, accepted an offer out of the blue to go to France and do something different – help an amateur team turn professional. This is a first hand account of what life is like in the lower reaches of professional sport – where your employment status is as precarious as your health and barely anyone will know your name.
It’s about how it feels to live year to year, with teammates constantly on the move. It’s about how professionalism irreversibly changes the French club Stade Rouennais as they move up the divisions, about the tension between progress and identity in a rugby team. It’s also about how it feels to actually be out there on the field, how it feels to occasionally do something extraordinary and how it feels when this is no longer enough for you to make the sacrifices that you need to make to keep playing.
There’s no ghostwriting, it’s an unmitigated meditation on how it feels and what it means to play rugby for a living, to dedicate yourself to an uncompromising but occasionally beautiful game.
If you’ve wanted to know what life is really like as a professional athlete, on the Fringes, away from the glitz and glamour of the international game then look no further.
Read more
£11.40 -
Saint And Sinner: The Autobiography of a Rugby League Legend
Nobody has ever been able to ignore Alex Murphy. In a glittering rugby league career stretching over forty years – from schoolboy days playing with St Helens, to international success for Great Britain, and years of glory as player, coach and manager of a host of high-profile clubs including Wigan and Warrington – fame and controversy have always been present: Murphy’s row with Wigan chairman and one-time friend Maurice Lindsay, when he was accused of trying to strangle him with his own telephone cord; the time Syd Hines head-butted him at Wembley, believing Murphy had taken a dive to get him sent off; his two tours, including the 1958 ‘Battle of Brisbane’, and how he ‘spat the dummy’, costing himself a third tour. . . All this, and a further fund of tales from the tough world of rugby league, is given Murphy’s unique treatment in this uncompromising autobiography. SAINT AND SINNER is the tale of how a liittle man reached the summit of his sport, and helped other little men along the way. The cocky kid – youngest ever to tour with Great Britain, who could have chosen professional football as a career ‘if it hadn’t been too soft’ – is known to millions today as Murph the Mouth: after-dinner speaker, TV commentator, outspoken newspaper columnist and now holder of the OBE, whose love for rugby league has never dwindled.Read more
£12.30 -
The Greatest Welsh XV Ever
Who are the fifteen best players ever to represent Wales at rugby? We all know the answers, but all our answers are different! In pubs and clubs, in classrooms and chat rooms the length and breadth of this rugby-mad nation, this is a question that prompts energetic and entertaining debate; a question that has divided households and destabilized lifelong friendships. In The Greatest Welsh XV Ever, which includes over 130 full-colour photographs, Eddie Butler has gone where angels (and ex-international back-row forwards) fear to tread. Devoting a chapter to each position on the field, he produces a shortlist of the great players, before making his final, decisive, definitive choice in each case. So will it be Barry John or Phil Bennett at number 10? Jamie Roberts or John Dawes at number 12? Graham Price or Adam Jones at number 3? This is your chance to join in the greatest national debate since devolutionRead more
£16.10The Greatest Welsh XV Ever
£16.10 -
Newport Rugby Greats
Newport RFC played their first game in 1876, and quickly established themselves as one of the leading clubs in the country. They played a dominant role in Welsh and British rugby, providing the national team with some of its greatest stars. The ‘Black and Ambers’ are one of a select group of teams in world rugby to have beaten the All Blacks, Wallabies and the Springboks. Formed in 2003 as a result of the regionalisation of Welsh rugby, Newport Gwent Dragons started life with a third place finish in the 2003/04 Celtic League. Some notable club highlights include reaching the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup in 2007 and 2015, and reaching the final of the Anglo-Welsh Cup in 2011. Like Newport RFC, they play at Rodney Parade, one of Welsh Rugby’s spiritual homes. Peter Jones documents Newport’s most iconic players and managers from the team’s early beginnings to the present day. With unprecedented access to the club’s archives, Newport Rugby Greats provides a history of some of the club’s heroes, complete with facts and figures, along with their most memorable games.Read more
£11.00£16.10Newport Rugby Greats
£11.00£16.10 -
St Helens Match of My Life: Saints Legends Relive Their Greatest Games
St Helens Match of My Life features the proud tales of some of the greatest rugby league players ever to wear the Red Vee of St Helens. The Saints are known as one of the most successful teams of the Super League era, but the memories also cover the glory days before the game switched to the summer months. Ray French – legendary rugby league player and commentator – talks fondly about the 1966 Challenge Cup Final victory over fierce rivals Wigan Warriors, while Paul Loughlin recalls scoring 14 points in a 15-14 win over Leeds in the John Player Trophy Final – only to see the morning’s newspaper headlines focus on one of his team-mates. Current St Helens captain James Roby was the first player to score a try at the new Wembley. Tommy Martyn remembers going from top of the world to rock bottom in just ten days. Keith Mason explains how his life changed from being a rugby player to attending film premieres with some of the biggest stars in the world. Tommy Makinson, Apollo Perelini, Phil Veivers and Paul Wellens also share their memories.Read more
£13.20£16.10 -
Dan Carter: The Autobiography of an All Blacks Legend
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.
Read more
£10.70£12.30 -
BEYOND THE WHISTLE: THE WAYNE BARNES STORY
“Dive into the captivating world of rugby officiating with ‘Beyond the Whistle: The Wayne Barnes Story.’ This book takes you on an exhilarating journey through Barnes’ remarkable career, from local matches to the grand stages of international tournaments. Explore the defining moments that shaped matches and sparked global conversations about the role of referees. Uncover the layers of Barnes’ story, his influence on rugby union refereeing, and the lasting legacy he leaves on the sport. Don’t miss your chance to experience the drama, controversies, and triumphs that make Wayne Barnes a legendary figure in rugby. Buy now and discover the untold chapters of one of rugby’s most influential personalities!”Read more
£6.10 -
Arthur Gould: Rugby’s First Superstar
Arthur Gould is the definitive biography of the record-breaking Welsh international player who is widely acknowledged as the first superstar of rugby. Such was his fame and renown, that upon his tragic, early death in 1919, aged just 54, Gould’s funeral in Newport was reported as the biggest Wales had ever seen. Nicknamed ‘Monkey’ due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps; 25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980); and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans). A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player. Gould’s superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game’s strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board. Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England’s Rugby Football Union brokered a ‘one-off’ dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed. Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould – Rugby’s First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.Read more
£14.80£17.10Arthur Gould: Rugby’s First Superstar
£14.80£17.10 -
Hard Men of Welsh Rugby
Who are the hardest men of Welsh rugby? Here are stories of twenty of the toughest Welsh rugby union players who fought valiantly for pride and honour in the days prior to the game turning professional in 1995. With profiles of legends such as John Bevan, Graham Price, JPR, Scott Gibbs and many more, this book tells some of the most gory tales from rugby history. Read about the men who carried on playing despite having internal bleeding on their eyes gouged, and the scrums which were an opportunity to chew your opponent s ear… The hard men featured in the book are… John Bevan, Mervyn Davies, Gareth Edwards, Charlie Faulkner, Scott Gibbs, Ray Gravell, Terry Holmes, Garin Jenkins, Courtney Meredith, Dai Morris, Graham Price, Ray Prosser, Delme Thomas, Geoff Wheel, JPR Williams, Bobby WindsorRead more
£7.60Hard Men of Welsh Rugby
£7.60 -
The Funniest Rugby Quotes… Ever!
From Brian Moore to Eddie Jones, rugby union players and coaches have entertained us with many hilarious sound bites over the years.In this comprehensive collection, author Gordon Law has compiled more than 250 side-splitting quotes and quips from the game’s biggest stars.
Packed with loads of witty remarks, verbal maulings and mixed metaphors, this book of bloopers will have rugby fans chuckling throughout the season.
“He epitomises England’s lack of skills. He has speed and bulk but plays like a castrated bull.”
David Campese on Will Carling“I’m off for a quiet pint; followed by 15 noisy ones.”
Bath’s Gareth Chilcott“It went well. There are no problems, and as a bonus, it showed that I have a brain!”
Corne Krige after going for a brain scan“He’s nicknamed Warren, as in Warren ugly b*stard.”
Jason Leonard on Dean RichardsRead more
£5.70 -
Wayne Barnes : The Biography
Wayne Barnes, born on 20 April 1979, is indeed a retired English international rugby union referee. Over the course of his career, he became a familiar figure in the English Premiership, where he refereed numerous matches. His officiating duties extended to high-profile competitions such as the Heineken Cup and the European Challenge Cup.Barnes also made significant contributions on the international stage. He officiated matches at prestigious tournaments like the Rugby World Cup, the Six Nations Championship, the Rugby Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup. His involvement in these competitions showcased his expertise and experience as a referee at the highest levels of the sport.Please note that my information might not include the latest updates, so for the most current details on Wayne Barnes, you may want to check more recent sources.
Read more
£9.30 -
Behind the Dragon: Playing Rugby for Wales (Behind the Jersey Series)
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.
Read more
£14.20£16.10 -
Charlie Faulkner: The 1 and Only
Immortalised in Max Boyce’s ‘The Pontypool Front Row’, Charlie Faulkner was a key member of the 1970s Wales team which dominated Northern Hemisphere rugby, winning all four of the Five Nations Championships he played in, with three Triple Crowns and two Grand Slams. The early days, the glory years with Pontypool, Wales and the 1977 Lions, his time as a coach – in this long-awaited autobiography, Faulkner takes us behind the scenes and tells us in his own words how it was, with his trademark humility and humour. In progress when Faulkner died in early 2023 aged 81, the book has been completed by co-author Greg Lewis with input from teammates, friends and family.Read more
£9.50 -
The Ref’s Call: Memoir of an Irish Rugby Referee
‘A genuine presence on the field, Owen refereed with the perfect balance of respect and authority’ Keith Wood
‘Highly respected with vast experience and knowledge, Owen Doyle contributed hugely to the world of rugby refereeing, both on and off the field’ Nigel Owens
‘Owen Doyle was a highly respected referee who officiated matches with passion, commitment, knowledge and, occasionally, some great humour’ Will Carling
With a foreword by Donal Lenihan.
Owen Doyle is an Irish Times columnist and former Irish rugby Test match referee. Here in his frank, revealing and often humorous memoir, The Ref’s Call, he gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the high-pressured world of international rugby.
From the processes involved in becoming a referee, to officiating in the Five Nations, touring Internationals and a World Cup, Doyle takes us through the most memorable matches of his career and how, following his retirement, he became instrumental in coaching the most successful generation of referees in the IRFU’s history.
Covering over forty years of rugby, and written in his own inimitable style, Doyle looks at the challenges facing modern rugby, particularly the issues of concussion and dementia, to give a fascinating insight into the great game, told from a unique perspective.
Read more
£9.60£10.40The Ref’s Call: Memoir of an Irish Rugby Referee
£9.60£10.40 -
My Name’5 DODDIE: The Autobiography
The extraordinary, life-affirming autobiography of DODDIE WEIR OBERugby legend and MND campaigner Doddie Weir has always lived life to the full. On the pitch, Doddie’s irresistible talent took him to the heart of every team he graced, and brought him 61 caps for his national side. He won fans all over the world with his sportsmanship, humour and boundless energy – especially when on the charge ‘like a mad giraffe’.
Then, in June 2017, Doddie made the announcement that he had been diagnosed with MND. With no cure and almost no treatment of any sort available, Doddie set out to do what he could to change that, tackling the issue head on with his trademark positivity and good humour. Since then, his MY NAME’5 DODDIE Foundation has raised and pledged millions towards research into this dreadful condition and his tireless campaigning has transcended the world of sport.
MY NAME’5 DODDIE is a humbling, courageous and very funny celebration of a remarkable man. And with a brand new update, this is an absolute must-read – rugby fan or not.
Read more
£6.60£9.50My Name’5 DODDIE: The Autobiography
£6.60£9.50 -
ROB BURROW BIOGRAPHY: The Ups and Downs of An English Former Rugby League Player.
Robert Geoffrey Burrow is a former professional rugby league player for the England national team.He played for England and Great Britain for 16 years, making over 400 games with Leeds Rhinos in the Super League between 2001 and 2017.
Burrow, who stood at just 5 feet, 5 inches (165 centimetres) and weighed less than 11 kg (70 kilogrammes; 150 pounds), held the title of “the smallest player in Super League” for many years.
Despite this, he was among the most successful players in the history of the tournament, having won eight Super League titles, two Challenge Cups, being selected to the Super League Dream Team three times, and taking home the Harry Sunderland Trophy on two separate occasions.
On December 19 2019, Burrow announced his diagnosis with motor neurone disease (MND).
For his contributions to the Rugby League and the MND community, he was appointed on December 30, 2020, as a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2021 New Year’s Honours List.
Read more
£9.50 -
Winning the Fight: My Autobiography
‘Maggie has changed the way the game is played forever’ – The Sunday Times
Maggie Alphonsi is not only a national sporting icon, the face of international women’s rugby and star player of the England side that won the World Cup in 2014. She is also an inspirational and totemic figure who transcends sport.
The compelling story of her life makes her achievements even more extraordinary. Hers is an against-all-the-odds tale, becoming the best player in the world despite having to battle against racism, sexism, and prejudice.
It is a book forged from the raw emotion, passion, and testimony of an iconic player, who rose to the elite of world sport when the world was seemingly stacked against her. It is a moving and revealing story of a woman who was not prepared to be defined by anyone but herself and gives the reader a unique insight into how she met her goals.
Read more
£15.40£19.00Winning the Fight: My Autobiography
£15.40£19.00 -
Gordon’s Game: The hilarious rugby adventure book for children aged 9-12 who love sport
A rugby-mad boy. A huge game. And a chance for an epic win . . . or an epic fail!
Gordon D’Arcy is an ordinary boy, but he’s not so ordinary once he gets a rugby ball in his hands. He’s the star player for Wexford Wanderers and dreams of one day wearing the Ireland jersey. A dream like that means hard work, raw talent and never losing sight of your goals.
But Gordon has a wild streak that often lands him in trouble. Mum and Dad think that if he can just channel his energy, all will be well. Then something utterly mad happens and he gets a chance to live his biggest dream.
Can he stay on his game and do everyone proud? Or will trouble follow him . . . like it usually does?
Gordon’s Game is a funny and inspiring adventure for rugby lovers of all ages!
‘A cracking read . . . which will appeal to all the family’ Irish Country Magazine
Read more
£7.90£8.50 -
The Jersey: The All Blacks: The Secrets Behind the World’s Most Successful Team
The phenomenal international number one bestseller with exclusive interviews with Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, The Jersey is the definitive story behind the greatest sports team on the planet.
‘Extremely well written. Compelling, accurate, insightful and brilliant in the way it captures the New Zealand way’ – John Hart, former All Blacks coach.
With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world?
Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than forty 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. Peter talked at length with ninety people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick.
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.
Read more
£11.40£12.30 -
Around the World in 80 Minutes: In Search of Rugby Greatness
A WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023 – SPORT
‘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.’
Stuart Barnes, Sunday Times‘Really enjoyed it.’
Will Carling‘An absolutely marvellous book. Recommended heartily.’
Jonathan Drennan, Sydney Morning HeraldCONTRASTING CHARACTERS, COLLIDING CULTURES, THE SAME OVAL-SHAPED BALL. A JOURNEY TO FIND THE RUGBY’S MOST REMARKABLE PEOPLE, TEAMS AND PLACES.
What makes rugby special? Which individuals and teams have defined the modern game? 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.
Read more
£15.20£19.00 -
Scrum Queens: The Story of Women’s Rugby (Shortlisted for the Sunday Times Sports Book Awards 2023)
**SHORTLISTED FOR THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023**
The first ever book telling the story of women’s rugby, from its origins to today.
‘Donnelly has created a masterpiece’ – Sara Orchard, BBC
‘A vitally important book, bringing to life the rich history of women’s rugby’ – Maggie Alphonsi, Former England Player
‘A much-needed treasure trove of women’s rugby history – insightful, informative and inspiring’ – Sarah Mockford, Rugby World Editor
Comprehensively researched and detailed, Scrum Queens charts the fascinating journey of women’s rugby as well as celebrating the success and heroics of the sport’s top players and teams, from widespread social disapproval to the modern era of Olympic recognition and professionalism.
The book includes:
- All of the major moments in the history of the women’s game from widespread societal disapproval to groundbreaking games during the war, the first World Cup in 1991 and the first appearance at the 2016 Olympics.
- Stories of the pioneers who fought to get the game played in its earliest days, like New Zealand’s Nita Webbe and France’s Henry Fléchon, and the modern-day drivers like England’s Carol Isherwood.
- Specific team successes in the sport such as New Zealand’s dominance, their long-time rivalry with England and the emergence of teams such as Ireland and Fiji.
Read more
£12.90£18.00 -
I love rugby! But I don’t understand the rules…
The rules of rugby explained in simple terms. At last, a book that everyone can read to learn and understand the sometimes complicated rules of rugby. From offside to scrum and tackling, everything you need to know about rugby is explained in this book in a simple and understandable way. Dive into the world of rugby and become unbeatable about the rules.
All explanations are backed by diagrams and illustrations.Read more
£11.40 -
What a Flanker: The funniest sports biography you’ll ever read
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…Read more
£8.70£9.50 -
Hard Men of Rugby
From the author of Rugby’s Greatest Mavericks.The true stories behind 20 of the toughest players to ever play the game, from pre-WWI firebrands to modern-day YouTube sensations. They are shocking, gruesome, often very funny and sometimes tragic, but what unites these men is their total commitment to the sport. Irrespective of size, reputation or opposition, they never took a step back, and many were as lively off the pitch as they were fiery on it. In our era of citing commissioners, slow-motion replays and trial by social media, some of their actions are hard to believe. Featuring exclusive interviews with some of the players themselves, insights from former teammates and a foreword from refereeing legend Nigel Owens, if you love the characters that make rugby great, then this is the book for you.
Table of contents: Foreword by Nigel Owens Introduction Paddy Mayne Brian Lima Wayne Shelford Bobby Windsor Colin Meads Jerry Collins Norm Hadley David Bedell-Sivright Scott Gibbs Gérard Cholley Trevor Brennan Wade Dooley Bakkies Botha Tomás Lavanini Jacques Burger Armand Vaquerin Martin Johnson Brian Thomas Sébastien Chabal Weary Dunlop Author acknowledgements Bibliography Notes
It was safer and certainly more fun to read about the Hard Men of Rugby than to play against them! It’s like having a few laughs over beers with them in the bar post-match, rather than what would have taken place on the pitch! – Al Charron, Former Canada Captain & World Rugby Hall of Fame inductee
I couldn’t put the book down. It was great to learn more about some of the hardest men in rugby folklore. And I had the misfortune to play against some of these legends! – Bernard Jackman, Former Ireland & Leinster player, coach and commentator
A cracking read, with some great stories about some guys I played with and against. Plus many more I am relieved I never had to face.- Lee Byrne, Former Wales & Lions player and pundit
I laughed, winced and even found myself moved by this lively and fun rundown of rugby hardmen.- Ben Mercer, Former rugby polayer & author of best-selling ‘Fringes: Life on the edge of professional rugby’
Fresh, entertaining, well-researched and full of really fun nuggets. – Robbie Owen / Squidge, Youtuber, podcaster & writer
Read more
£8.10£9.50Hard Men of Rugby
£8.10£9.50 -
Messi Rules (Football Superstars)
Is Lionel Messi your number 1 footballer? In this NEWLY REVISED edition, we bring you fully up to date with Messi’s story so far and feature his stats and achievements since he left Barcelona for PSG after 18 glorious seasons, including his epic Copa América win with Argentina in 2021.
Did you know that the living legend Leo has played more than 950 matches, scored more than 750 goals, won 34 club titles including 10 La Liga titles and picked up 76 awards!
Discover how Leo went from being the smallest player on the field (as a young boy he was so tiny all the other players called him ‘Titch’) to being widely known as the ‘Greatest of All Time’ with his incredible runs, ball control and lots and lots of goals!
Football Superstars is a series aimed at building a love of reading from a young age, with fun cartoons, inspirational stories, a simple narrative style and a cast of characters chipping in with quotes, jokes and comments.
Read more
£5.90£6.60Messi Rules (Football Superstars)
£5.90£6.60 -
Robertson (Ultimate Football Heroes – The No.1 football series): Collect Them All!
The No.1 football series – over 1 million copies sold!This is the story of Andy Robertson, flying full-back for Liverpool Football Club and captain of the Scotland national team. Follow his incredible journey from being on the brink of starting a university degree before breaking into the first-team of Queens Park, to going on to become a Premier League and Champions League winner with Liverpool. Discover how Robertson’s high energy pressing, progressive passing and darting overlaps created Klopp’s perfect system to help guarantee Liverpool domestic and European success.
Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to superstar professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.
Read more
£6.00£6.60 -
Rice (Ultimate Football Heroes – The No.1 football series): Collect Them All!
The No.1 football series – over 1 million copies sold!When Declan Rice was released by Chelsea’s youth academy at the age of 14, he was devastated. But he wasn’t going to let that get in the way of his Premier League dreams. He worked harder than ever, and by the time he was 20, he was the captain and star of top-flight West Ham. Discover how the two-footed, high energy, combative midfielder established himself as an irreplaceable member of the England national team and Arsenal’s new record signing.
Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to superstar professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.
Read more
£6.00£6.60 -
Silva (Ultimate Football Heroes – the No. 1 football series): Collect Them All!
The No.1 football series – over 1 million copies sold!David Silva is Manchester City’s greatest ever midfielder. As he played his way from the Spanish coast to the top of the Premier League, his silky skills earned him the nickname ‘El Mago’ – the magician. This is the exciting story of how the boy from Valencia used his midfield magic to launch Manchester City to dominating the Premier League winner, and drove Spain forward to become World and European Champions.
Ultimate Football Heroes is a series of biographies telling the life-stories of the biggest and best footballers in the world and their incredible journeys from childhood fan to super-star professional player. Written in fast-paced, action-packed style these books are perfect for all the family to collect and share.
Read more
£6.00£6.60 -
How to Be a Football Manager: Enter the hilarious and crazy world of the gaffer
*** SHORTLISTED FOR SPORTS ENTERTAINMENT BOOK OF THE YEAR AT THE SUNDAY TIMES SPORTS BOOK AWARDS 2023 ***
‘fascinating, frank, funny’ Jim White, Daily Telegraph
‘insightful’ Henry Winter, The Times
‘very entertaining … great stories’ Hawksbee & Jacobs, talkSPORT radio
‘an incredible book’ The Football Show, Sky Sports News
‘Yeah, I’m all that plus a bag of chips’
‘Come round my house and we’ll have a fight on the front lawn’
‘I’m as chuffed as a badger at the start of the mating season’
‘I thought his bum cheeks looked very pert’Football management is like being a potato – you’re never too far from the sack and everyone is constantly chipping away at you. It’s not for the faint-hearted and unless you’ve got skin as thick as rhino and, more importantly, a wicked sense of humour, you’ve no chance of surviving.
Ian Holloway – aka ‘Ollie’ – has all the above and more besides. His press conferences are the stuff of legend. He’s been there, seen it and done it in his 40 years as player and manager, and has been entertaining football fans on and off the pitch for most of his life. He’s been head honcho at clubs in all four divisions in English football, experiencing everything from the giddy heights of taking Blackpool to the Premier League to fighting relegation from the Football League with Grimsby Town. There’s never been a dull moment.
In the joyful How to Be a Football Manager, Holloway weaves a fantastically rich tapestry of hilarious anecdotes to reveal what being the boss is really like. This is not a handbook to tell you when to play a Christmas tree formation or throw on a false nine – it’s about dealing with the ridiculous, fighting your corner and always having a comeback.
Read more
£4.70£12.30
