Jason Leonard: Full Time the Autobiography of a Rugby Legend
£11.40
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.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Willow (25 Sept. 2009) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Paperback | 336 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 0007346255 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-0007346257 |
| Dimensions | 15.24 x 2.13 x 22.86 cm |
by Alan. P
Absolutely met my expectations, I was at HQ to watch his first game there, fabulous player well deserved his 100 and odd caps, this book sums the guy up, you feel you know him by the time you’ve finished. Ian McGeechan called him the ultimate Lion, that’s good enough for me. I recommend this book highly.
by DC Hargreaves
Great insight into the career of a legend of the game and how life as a rugby player changed from amateur to professional. Could have done with more juicy stories but definitely worth reading!!
by Amazon Customer
Disappointed, One of the players who has given so much pleasure over the years. The book did not read well, far too many mistakes in the text and it felt as though the book had been produced
disappointing. Too many errors in the text. It felt as though the book had been produced “on the cheap” A great pity. This great man deserved better
by martin a walpole
if you are of a certain age and can remember rugby before professionalism then you will be taken back to a time when money in rugby was a thing that all dreamed of but most rarely got, to play your favoured sport as a living was a thing only footballers done.
Jason Leonards career spans the amatuer/professional divide and this book is a good insight into what it took to reach the top of of the rugby tree, all the pain,laughs, highs and lows of one of england rugby hero,s. well worth a read.top book top man.
by Mr John Wood
Excellent read great Rugby player
by Amazon Customer
An interesting account of his playing career.
by neil evans
Met Jason Leonard once when Neath played Harlequins back in the mid 90’s and he was an absolute gent and down to earth. What you see in the book is that he never changed. Even though I am a welshman I agree with some of his comments following observations of a minority of welsh fans and it made me ashamed!
The book is an honest assessment of his own career and those who he played with and against.
I would recommend this read to anyone
by Lisa
A good read from the perspective of a humble man lucky to see the game from the (drunken) amateur days through to the beginnings of the professional era. I’ll always remember his advice to a Referees meeting years ago: “The moment you start using the word logic and prop in the same sentence you’re in trouble”. Good bloke. Good book.