Rugby

Is there always someone else to blame for your failures?Afraid of putting the real work in to achieve your goals?Are you sick of just being average and do you want to start winning?It's time to drown out self-doubt and the distracting noise of everyday life, to conquer your fears and approach challenges without caution.One of rugby's most ferocious flankers and successful players, James Haskell has always strived to be at the very top of his game. To achieve a global rugby career, he knew he had to keep his body strong. To go on to found an award-winning production company and become a successful DJ and bestselling author, he knew he had to keep his mind even stronger.Revolutionary and revealing, Approach With(out) Caution presents James Haskell as you've never known him. James takes the lessons he's learned, both on and off the pitch, and turns them into a five-pillar plan to help you take control of your life.

“Taking risks and pushing oneself to the limit are strong themes, as well, and the loving bond between a father and son is evident throughout . . . . A tale that will appeal to sports fans and those who appreciate the determination and physical and mental toughness required to thrive at the top level of sports.” —Kirkus <BR><BR>The inspiring story of Nate Ebner's bond with his unconventional father and its remarkable consequences<BR><BR>Nate Ebner and his father were inseparable. From an early age, they worked side-by-side in the family junkyard, where part of the job was dispensing citizen's justice to aspiring robbers, and they worked out side-by-side in their grungy homemade gym. Even though Nate was a great peewee football player in football-mad Ohio, he followed his father's passion for rugby and started playing for the same club as his father when he was only thirteen years old. <BR><BR>But Nate had to face the fact that there was no way to make a living as a professional rugby player in this country. So Nate gave his dad the news that he planned to quit rugby and go out for the football team at Ohio State University, with an eye toward making the NFL. As a goal for someone who hadn't even played high school football, this was completely ridiculous. Without blinking, his father told him that if he gave up what he had built in rugby, he had to see it through. It was the last conversation they ever had--the next day, his father was brutally murdered at work by a would-be robber.<BR><BR>Nate went on to make the Ohio State team and when NFL Draft Day came, he was selected by the New England Patriots. Three Super Bowl rings later, his legacy in the sport is secure. But he got another unexpected chance to honor his father's memory when the Olympics admitted rugby as a sport for the 2016 Games. Against long odds, he made the team and competed in Rio in the sport he and his father loved above all others.<BR><BR>An astonishing story of what a father will do for a son and what a son will do for a father, Finish Strong is a powerful reminder that the lessons parents embody for their children continue to bear fruit long after they are gone.<BR><BR><BR>

A hilarious and, at times, moving and soul-searching account of rugby union’s rollercoaster days in the 1990s, told through the eyes of a player who saw it all as the sport lurched shambolically from the crazy final days of amateurism into the professional era.<BR><BR>Martin Bayfield has a story to tell. Indeed, some might describe it as a very tall story. Standing at 6ft 10ins, the former England and British and Irish Lions second row remains one of the tallest players ever to have played international rugby, and his immense physical stature made him one of the most destructive forwards in the world game. He played for England during one of the most successful eras in English rugby, winning two Grand Slams alongside legendary players such as Will Carling, Jeremy Guscott, Brian Moore and Rory Underwood. <BR><BR>His international heyday came at a seminal moment for rugby union when, almost overnight, it was transformed from a noble minority sport to a celebrity event, with stories appearing on the front pages of the British tabloids. Now Bayfield is ready to reveal the inside story of that rip-roaring decade that changed forever the face of English rugby. The book provides an emotional link between the generations, so that today’s fans can reconnect with rugby's soul. Renowned as one of rugby's best and most entertaining storytellers, the former policeman and Hagrid's body double has written a brilliant and very funny love letter to a sport that continues to inspire and entertain millions.

**Winner of the Rugby Book of the Year at the Sports Book Awards 2022**<BR><BR>Prince Alexander Sergeevich Obolensky made his name on a cold January day at Twickenham in 1936, his achievements captured for posterity by the newsreels of the time. <BR><BR>On his England debut, having already scored one exhilarating try, the striking blond winger collected a pass on the right and, path blocked, veered left at such a pace that a line of opponents were left grasping at thin air. It was a historic try, unrivalled in skill and speed - and it inspired England's first ever victory over the All Blacks.<BR><BR>Born to a noble family in St Petersburg in 1916, he had been due a life of wealth and privilege, until revolution forced the Obolenskys to flee Russia. Arriving in Britain with just a handful of possessions, they were reduced to relying on handouts, little Alex's very education resting on the charity of others. But as the young boy began his new life in a strange country, it was his natural sporting ability that would bring him lasting fame. <BR><BR>The controversial selection for England of a Russian-born prince was a huge story in the press, stirring up xenophobia as well as excitement at the 19-year-old Oxford student's sheer pace. His later exploits on and off the field would keep his name in the papers, yet Alex was destined to win only four international caps, despite touring with the Lions and appearing for the Barbarians. After joining the RAF to serve his adopted king and country, he died at the controls of a Hurricane in March 1940.<BR><BR>Bringing a fascinating era to life, The Flying Prince explores the mystery and mythology surrounding Alexander Obolensky, and for the first time tells the full story of the sporting hero who died too young.<BR><BR>*****<BR><BR>'Well-researched . . . a pleasure to read. There are plenty of colourful characters' - THE TIMES<BR><BR>'The fascinating tale of the Russian-born aristocrat who helped England beat the All-Blacks for the first time' JOHN AIZLEWOOD, I NEWS<BR><BR>'A first biography from Hugh Godwin, rugby correspondent of the i, and a fine fist he's made of it too' - BEST RUGBY BOOKS 2021<BR><BR>'Expertly fills in the gaps . . . Now we have a biography his story deserves' - THE RUGBY PAPER

The side-splittingly hilarious new book from Sunday Times bestselling author, rugby icon, and stag do in human form, James Haskell.It¿s 2021 and James is at a crossroads. His glittering international rugby career that took him from England to New Zealand and France ¿ including 77 caps for England ¿ is over. What will he do now? What is his purpose in life?In Ruck Me, James sets out on a voyage of self-discovery speaking to ex-colleagues, friends and family, reflecting on his career and diving into some of his most memorable personal anecdotes to date. But what started out as a search for understanding and meaning soon turns into a ¿ let¿s face it, sometimes warranted ¿ chastisement opportunity with James directly in the firing line. Turns out he has a lot of work to döAs funny as it is outrageous, this brilliant book acts as a lesson on how (not) to retire gracefully and move forward. And ruck me ¿ you won¿t want to miss it.

The Sunday Times bestseller<BR><BR>'A genuine super-coach' - Stephen Jones, Sunday Times<BR><BR>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.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.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.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.

The revelatory autobiography of a rugby colossus: Paul O'Connell. WINNER OF THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS RUGBY BOOK OF THE YEAR<BR><BR>There has never been a rugby player quite like Paul O'Connell. He is synonymous with passion, heart and determination; but he is also the thinking man's rugby player, a legendary student of the game. <BR><BR>As the heartbeat of Munster, British and Irish Lions captain in 2009, and captain of the first Ireland team to defend a Six Nations championship, O'Connell has emerged as perhaps the most beloved of the golden generation of Irish rugby players. In an autobiography as intense as its author, he tells the story of his remarkable career.<BR><BR>'The years of O'Connell and O'Driscoll were as close to a golden age as ever Ireland will get and O'Connell's book tells you how it all happened ... It should be mandatory for every Irish squad member to read O'Connell's book to better understand what it takes to make a team' David Walsh, Sunday Times<BR><BR>'O'Connell has emptied the tank here. ... What has come out ... is a psychological profile that is almost shocking at times in what it reveals about the bloody single-mindedness of the competitive gene' Hilary A. White, Irish Independent<BR><BR>'The intense physicality of his rugby upbringing is an abiding theme ... along with humour, the craic and an extensive knowledge of how teams work' Paul Hayward, Daily Telegraph<BR><BR>'I found The Battle entrancing' Stephen Jones, Sunday Times<BR><BR>'Excellent ... [an] eye-opening account of the never-ending battles he fought' Rugby World<BR><BR>'Revelatory ... Unflinchingly charts his personal evolution ... He is not at all easy on himself' Keith Duggan, Irish Times

The bestselling autobiography of the Irish sporting legend and the greatest rugby player of our time: Brian O'Driscoll.<BR><BR>Since 1999, when he made his international debut, there has been no greater player in world rugby than Brian O'Driscoll. In 2010 Rugby World magazine named him its world player of the decade - and since then the legend has only grown.<BR><BR>Now, at the end of his amazing career - which culminated in fairy-tale fashion with Ireland's victory in the 2014 Six Nations championship - he tells his own story.<BR><BR>Honest, gritty and thoughtful, Brian O'Driscoll's Autobiography is not just an essential sports book. It is an essential book about family, friends, hard work, courage and imagination.<BR><BR>Praise for The Test:<BR><BR>'Honest, charming and revealing - a thoroughly good read' Rugby World<BR><BR>'A thoroughly enjoyable read ... After reading The Test I warmed even more to O'Driscoll as a player and a man. He stood for a new ethos in Irish sport that refused to accept mediocrity or glorious failure' Fergal Keane, Irish Times<BR><BR>'O'Driscoll's honesty ... takes the reader to a place they simply have not been before' Vincent Hogan, Irish Independent<BR><BR>'A must-read insight into the life and mind of Ireland's greatest rugby player' Irish Mail on Sunday<BR><BR>'There are fascinating insights into the lengths he was willing to go to perform at the highest level' Sunday Business Post

**WINNER British Sports Book Awards SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR**<BR><BR>**Shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award**<BR><BR>Gareth Thomas had it all. He was a national hero, a sporting icon. He was a leader of men, captain of Wales and the British Lions. To him, rugby was an expression of cultural identity, a sacred code. It was no mere ball game. It gave him everything, except the freedom to be himself.<BR><BR>This is the story of a man with a secret that was slowly killing him. Something that might devastate not only his own life but the lives of his wife, family, friends and teammates. The only place where he could find any refuge from the pain and guilt of the lie he was living was on the pitch, playing the sport he loved. But all his success didn't make the strain of hiding who he really was go away. His fear that telling the truth about his sexuality would lose him everything he loved almost sent him over the edge.<BR><BR>The deceit ended when Gareth became the world's most prominent athlete to come out as a gay man. His gesture has strengthened strangers, and given him a fresh perspective. Gareth's inspiring and moving story transcends the world of sport to tell a universal truth about feeling like an outsider, and facing up to who you really are.

Eric Ashton was the epitome of a rugby league hero. Here, in the third in a series of republished 'Rugby League classics', his story is retold, accompanied this time by a new introduction from BBC commentator Ray French.

'There is so much more to the man than single-minded determination.'Sunday Telegraph <BR><BR>'His first day in the job of England coach is superbly described, and thereafter he is forever going the extra yard to make his team great.'Sunday Times<BR>__________<BR><BR>Winning! tells a remarkable story - an unforgettable journey that began in September 1997 and took the English Rugby Team team from the lower ranks of international first-class rugby to the top as World Cup Champions. <BR><BR>Sir Clive Woodward and his team mounted a campaign of vast change, great learning, team building and clear vision to achieve their aim. 'We would question everything, change anything and leave no stone unturned,' he writes. <BR><BR>WINNING! will talk about the team's journey of innovation and discovery and will reveal exactly how it happened, the fundamentals of their success and how these principles can be applied to any human endeavour. 'We changed the way we coached, the way we played and, of equal importance, how we operated off the field.' Bringing his business management skills to the game, Woodward simplified the entire approach to the structure of the team and created new management systems both on and off the pitch.<BR><BR>In an anecdotal style, Clive Woodward entertains and informs while he describes the thrilling build-up to England's World Cup triumph in 2003.