Best rugby books?

[beige]

I had another flick through Peter Fitzsimons' The Rugby War yesterday, which covers the battle for control of the game and its players that took place behind-the-scenes in 1995. Well researched and eye-opening, this is still easily the best rugby book I have ever read.

The Dally Messenger biography The Master is also one I highly recommend, covering as it does the battle between rugby union, rugby league and Australian rules at the turn of last century that ultimately shaped the Australian sporting landscape we see today.

What other rugby books can people recommend?

[KenyaQuin]

Read "The Rugby War", Beige..is an interesting tale. Dunno if you managed to watch but last year on ABC they ran a documentary "Stealing Rugby",
based on the book and in it they interviewed pretty much the main parties such as Phil Kearns, Sean Fitzpatrick, Francois Pienaar, Sam Chisholm, Ian Frykberg, Simon Poidevin, Ross Turnbull, Dr Louis Luyt.

Questions raised reading the book were more-or-less answered watching the doco much so because you hear it from the horses' mouth.

[beige]

Yeah, I caught that - good companion piece

[KenyaQuin]

Another read that takes you back to rugby as it was is "Colin Meads". To those uninitiated, Colin Meads or "The great Pinetree" is the New Zealand Player of the Century, a universal rugby legend. This is not simply an autobiography of the great man but also an insight into rugby life during the "amateur" years drawing comparisons to today's game.

You may think there is a slight bias here seeing as I am afterall an All Black supporter (dare I add that I've been gifted with a signed copy "To my friend, KenyaQuin, hope you enjoy this...") however I must say it is a worthwhile read for all rugby lovers.

[Jess]

Rugby Union for Dummies by Greg 'Grumbles' Growden is very... er... insightful?

If you want to learn more about gormet pies and what outfit to wear to the game than about actual rugby itself then it's the book for you.

[oxleymoron]

One of my fav rugby books is "two mighty tribes" by Spiro Zavos and Gordon Bray. It describes 100 years of rugby matches between Australia and New Zealand. It profiles some of the great players from each area, as well as all records of games played.

[lmaag]

Muddied Oafs by Richard Beard is a great read. I also enjoyed Ella earlier this year.

[Johndy]

Alan English - Stand up and fight - when munster beat the all blacks

a good tale of a rugby mad town.

[lara93]

the jake white story
its a good read

[slomo]

'best seat in the house, 1997 lions tour to S.A.' gavin hastings.
'scotlands grand slam 1990' ian mcgeechan.
'tackling life' steve black & jonny wilkinson.

[welshrugbyfan]

Rugby a players guide to the laws by Derek Robinson is a must if you really want to know your stuff when you abuse the ref.

But my top rugby book is "BOOTSIE YOUR 8". Great book because I wrote it, now I am trying extremely hard to get it published. Actually there are eight books in the series starting with a 10 year old Bootsie (who gets his nickname because he turns up to training with his boots tied around his neck each week) trying to win the under 11's comp and by the last book he finishes his final year of high school at a prestigious boarding school on a rugby scholarship due to his talent.

Many adventures through the series like moving town and trying to crack into a much harder team in the second book, State selection in the third, first year at the boarding school in the fourth and fifth books as it's such a huge year. His dad getting a contract in England for a year and he ends up at the even more prestigious sister school of his school here playing for them in England in the sixth book. Getting expelled for something he didn't do in the seventh book upon his return here and then how he clears his name. Then his final year at the boarding school including a trip to Japan with the school, on the last page his real name is mentioned for the first time.

There is a version for each major rugby nation ready to go as well. For example in the first book his coach is an ex Springbok who played 7 tests for the boks. In the South African version his coach is an ex wallaby and so on.

Lots about rugby but lots of life lessons along the way. The hard part is getting them published which is very frustrating.

I've done all the illustrations myself, there all on disc and ready to go. For every book I want to give a dollar to childrens cancer charity because I wrote them as I sat next to my son while he went through it.

Sorry to hack the thread but if anyone knows any publishers or has any ideas to help can you please HELP!!! I have had one helper from this site and I thank her immensley.

[TOCC]

whilst i know some of you dispise him, JON's book 'Its Only a Game' gives great insight into the ARU turning professional and the 1995 - 2004 period.

[Ecky]

One Step Ahead by Rod MacQueen (with Kevin Hitchcock) is a very good read.
With The Wallabies by our favourite G Growden is, surprisingly, pretty good.
Full Time (A Coach's Memoirs) by Bob Dwyer is most interesting also.

[no.8]

One Step Ahead by Rod MacQueen (with Kevin Hitchcock) is a very good read.
With The Wallabies by our favourite G Growden is, surprisingly, pretty good.
Full Time (A Coach's Memoirs) by Bob Dwyer is most interesting also.

Reading that now Ecky - it's a fantastic book - makes you feel like you can do anything!
Rugby Wars - Nick Farr-Jones - read Kokoda it's number (not rugby though!) Peter FitzSimmons

My favourites though -
The game and its players - Pollard

Wallaby Gold - PeterJenkins (current ARU Media & communications director)

[mudskipper]

"The Brumbies , The Super 12 years" by Michael McKernan... find out how they won two super championships... and the people involved...