Sport

The Sunday Times bestseller

‘A genuine super-coach’ – Stephen Jones, Sunday Times

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.

Since taking over as head coach of England in 2015, Eddie Jones has orchestrated 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 and their first-ever whitewash of Australia in their own backyard, as well as taking them on their longest-ever winning streak, matching the world record held by the All Blacks.

Eddie Jones is one of the most experienced and decorated coaches in Rugby Union. His career has spanned four World Cups: from the 2003 final, working with South Africa when they won in 2007, and causing the greatest upset in the history of the game in 2015 when he masterminded the Japanese victory over South Africa. Most recently, he led England on their incredible run at the 2019 World Cup, culminating in a stunning victory against the All Blacks before falling to South Africa in the final.

Learning from the extreme highs and lows of his own playing career – including 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 learned about the game, both on and off the pitch, has gone into plotting England’s route to the top of world rugby.

Written with Donald McRae, twice winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award and three-time Sports Feature Writer of the Year, 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.

Read more

Rugby 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

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

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

‘Powerful, moving’ – The Guardian

‘A deeply affecting read […] among the most important ever’ – Daily Mail

‘So powerful. This book might just change the way you think about sport forever’ – Sir Clive Woodward

‘As brave as they come’ – Gareth Thomas

‘Moving and profound’ – The Times

‘Heartbreaking’ – Owen Slot, The Times

‘I’m in my early forties. There are days when I don’t remember the names of my wife and four kids . . .’

RUGBY, DEMENTIA AND THE FIGHT OF MY LIFE

In 2003, England won the Rugby World Cup. Steve Thompson was in England’s front row, at the heart of the match, and at the heart of the scrum – one of sport’s most violent battlegrounds.

But triumph came at a cost. Today, he remembers nothing about playing in that final. In his words, watching the tape back is like watching a ghost.

The years of hurt, and the culture of sucking up punishment and coming back for more, have taken a terrible toll. Steve has been diagnosed with early onset dementia, and serious progressive brain damage. Steve and his wife Steph had a happy family life planned, with decades ahead of them. Now he needs to capture these elusive memories for the sake of his children, before they disappear forever.

With stories contributed by his world-cup winning teammates and his former manager, Sir Clive Woodward, Unforgettable is raw, powerful storytelling. This tale of hope and courage stands as testament to the ultimate strength of the human mind – and to a man no longer pushing himself to the limit for competition, but for his own place in the world.

Read more