This is Your Everest: The Lions, The Springboks and the Epic Tour of 1997
£14.50£17.10 (-15%)
‘A rollicking read and a mighty achievement’ – Donald McRae, The Guardian
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.
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Additional information
| Publisher | Polaris Publishing Limited (27 May 2021) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 320 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1913538125 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1913538125 |
| Dimensions | 14.99 x 3.81 x 23.62 cm |
by Yeti
Best rugby book I have read.
Totally addictive
by Amazon Customer
An outstanding account of the legendary ‘97 lions tour as told by players from both sides as well as brilliantly chronicled by English and Burns.
Eye-opening revelations from players paint an excellent vivid picture of the tour that defined the modern lions. Adds detail to the lions dvd and I found the whole South Africa perspective fascinating.
A book that has strengthened my opinion that a lions tour is the pinnacle of sport for me: so special!
by Rugbyjock
A great read for any and all rugby fans. Such much I didn’t know about SA after winning the World Cup in 95. ONce you pick it up it is hard to put down. Great work by Tom English
by MR FRASER MAXWELL
Unreal read, i am a massive fan of the living with the lions documentary, as is everyone who has ever seen it. But the book was just as good i loved the fact you got the story from both sides with the lions and the Saffa’s. Really funny as well. i just couldn’t put it down and looked forawrd to reading it eveytime which is such a good feeling. such a great series and so well told from their side.
by Amazon Customer
Loved it, one of the best rugby books I’ve read. So interesting hearing the accounts of both sets of players & coaches.
Couldn’t put it down!
by sean turner
This is a compelling read for any Lions fan. This book compliments the Living with Lions documentary and puts a little more meat on the bone with some great quotes from both parties. This win was exceptional when you consider this was during the amateur professional transition. It really highlights the brutality of the tour and the arrogance of the South Africans who took the Test matches for granted. This is a true David v Goliath and demonstrates that if you have the ‘can do will do attitude’, then anything is achievable with the right management in place with McGeechan and Telfer at the helm.
by Aitch
This is the story of the 1997 British and Irish Lions tour of then Rugby World Champions, South Africa.
Already immortalised in the truly groundbreaking, simply magnificent Living With Lions documentary, this book gives the backdrop to the series not covered by the film-makers.
It tells of the internal strife of the Springboks, still within the realms of apartheid, internal politicking, wholesale coach changes, while still full of the macho hubris associated with mainly Afrikaaners.
Contrast that to the mainly unfancied Lions, whose brilliant management led them to a superb series win against all odds.
The dvd is brilliant, this is the perfect companion, telling the story from both sets of players, and including Churchillian speeches from Geech and Telfer.
A superb read.
by SMR
Great read, watch the video eye opener to amateurs turning pro playing for the honour of being a British Lion