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any ideas on a good Rugby Book

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  • 19-10-2011 10:34am
    #1
    mad_shopaholic
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭


    I want to get my boyfriend a rugby book for his birthday but havent a clue about rugby hes big into munster rugby and has the alan quinlan and ronan o gara book already anyone any suggestions?


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    #2
    Fishooks12
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,318 ✭✭✭Fishooks12


    The book about Munster beating the AB's is very good


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    #3
    wicklowwonder
    Registered Users Posts: 1,504 ✭✭✭wicklowwonder


    mad_shopaholic wrote: »
    I want to get my boyfriend a rugby book for his birthday but havent a clue about rugby hes big into munster rugby and has the alan quinlan and ronan o gara book already anyone any suggestions?

    Haven't heard of any but I am sure a few books are lined up to come out post-World Cup and in time for the Xmas Market if you can wait that long? Trevor Brennan's books was a great read which would be enjoyed by all rugby fans if he hasn't already read it.


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    #4
    Junior
    Registered Users Posts: 3,183 ✭✭✭Junior


    Stand up and Fight - Alan English is the book about Munster V AB's

    Other books well worth a read are ..
    From There to Here - Irish Rugby in Pro Era - Brendan Fanning
    Rucks and Mauls - Moss Keane
    Axel - Anthony Foley
    Never Die Wondering - Eddie O'Sullivan
    Time Added on - George Hook

    Now what ever you might think about Eddie and George, the books are well worth a read. Rucks and Mauls would be my favourite however.


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    #5
    PJ Maybe
    Registered Users Posts: 113 ✭✭PJ Maybe


    I've just started Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary and it seems quite good.


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    #6
    wixfjord
    Site Banned Posts: 5,346 ✭✭✭wixfjord


    Matt Hampson's new book, while not all about rugby, is supposed to be brilliant.

    Whatever you do, stay away from ROG and BOD's efforts. Awful stuff.


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    #7
    durkadurka
    Registered Users Posts: 6,207 ✭✭✭durkadurka


    Jackmans is pretty poor too.


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    #8
    wixfjord
    Site Banned Posts: 5,346 ✭✭✭wixfjord


    durkadurka wrote: »
    Jackmans is pretty poor too.

    Oh i forgot that one, that's worse than the other two.


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    #9
    Cameron Poe
    Closed Accounts Posts: 217 ✭✭Cameron Poe


    Jackmans is one of the worst books I've ever read.

    Heart and Soul, Trevor Brennans book is really good.


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    #10
    Inis Eoghain
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4 ✭Inis Eoghain


    Voices from the Back of the Bus: Tall Tales and Hoary Stories from Rugby's Real Heroes by Stewart McKinney. I really enjoyed this book that is made up of short stories from numerous different players


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    #11
    swordofislam
    Closed Accounts Posts: 643 ✭✭✭swordofislam


    Rugby wisdom. Good toilet book.


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    #12
    UnknownSpecies
    Registered Users Posts: 3,183 ✭✭✭UnknownSpecies


    Trevor Brennan's and Moss Keane's are both top class.


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    #13
    CoDy1
    Registered Users Posts: 1,637 ✭✭✭CoDy1


    +1 on Confessions of A Rugby Mercenary, Great read.


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    #14
    CatFromHue
    Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 18,145 Mod ✭✭✭✭CatFromHue


    Inis Eoghain wrote: »
    Voices from the Back of the Bus: Tall Tales and Hoary Stories from Rugby's Real Heroes by Stewart McKinney. I really enjoyed this book that is made up of short stories from numerous different players

    A friend read this and said it was funny.

    When Dallaglio turned up to his first England training session he only had 1 or 2 bags and felt like he'd left a pile of stuff behind when Jason Leonard showed up with a few huge bags. Seemingly cos it was Amatuer the RFU would't pay you but would always clean your gear etc. Leonard had showed up with bags full of his curtains from his house to get the RFU to clean them :pac::pac:


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    #15
    chris85
    Registered Users Posts: 4,502 ✭✭✭chris85


    If hes big into Munster I definitely think you should get him the Leinster Heineken Cup DVD currently in the shops :D:D:D


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    #16
    Webbs
    Registered Users Posts: 1,645 ✭✭✭Webbs


    Brian Moores autobiography Beware of the Dog is a superb book well written and gives an insight into what drives a world class player to the heights he hit. Not your usual rugby book of anecdotes and funny stories


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    #17
    mad_shopaholic
    Registered Users Posts: 135 ✭✭mad_shopaholic


    thanks everyone for the suggestions! think its between the munster v all blacks one and the confessions of a rugby mercenary one thanks again!


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    #18
    pappyodaniel
    Registered Users Posts: 5,720 ✭✭✭pappyodaniel


    http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61350907


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    #19
    totallegend
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,234 ✭✭✭totallegend


    I really enjoyed ' Winter Colours' by Donald McRae. Not one for the casual rugby fan though.

    I think I always side for Sexton in the out half debate because I read O'Gara's book. Eclipsed only by Jackman...


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    #20
    Clearlier
    Registered Users Posts: 4,454 ✭✭✭Clearlier


    totallegend wrote: »
    I really enjoyed ' Winter Colours' by Donald McRae. Not one for the casual rugby fan though.

    I think I always side for Sexton in the out half debate because I read O'Gara's book. Eclipsed only by Jackman...

    Have you ever read 'In BOD we trust' - possibly the worst book (not just sporting) that I have ever read. Factual errors and sycophantic rubbish abounded.


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    #21
    Boycey2011
    Registered Users Posts: 30 ✭Boycey2011


    The Rugby War by Peter FitzSimons

    http://www.harpercollins.com.au/books/Rugby-War-Peter-Fitzsimons/?isbn=9780732278823


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    #22
    JonnyF
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭JonnyF


    totallegend wrote: »
    I really enjoyed ' Winter Colours' by Donald McRae. Not one for the casual rugby fan though.

    I think I always side for Sexton in the out half debate because I read O'Gara's book. Eclipsed only by Jackman...


    Winter Colours is one of my favourite books fullstop. Really well written and a great look at the game and what it tries to represent.


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    #23
    bamboozle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,699 ✭✭✭bamboozle


    JonnyF wrote: »
    Winter Colours is one of my favourite books fullstop. Really well written and a great look at the game and what it tries to represent.

    Winter Colours
    Diary of a rugby mercenary
    From There to Here - Irish Rugby in Pro Era - Brendan Fanning

    i've read a fair few sports/rugby books and the 3 above are by far the best I've read

    some of the autobiogrophies are dreadful.


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    #24
    JonnyF
    Registered Users Posts: 370 ✭✭JonnyF


    O'Gara's book is one of the worst sports books I've ever read. Murder.


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    #25
    GerM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,592 ✭✭✭GerM


    Clearlier wrote: »
    Have you ever read 'In BOD we trust' - possibly the worst book (not just sporting) that I have ever read. Factual errors and sycophantic rubbish abounded.

    In fairness, that was a biography piggy backing on BOD's popularity. He wasn't involved in it.

    I've recently finished Matt Hampson's book. Gut wrenchingly sad whilst also inspiring. No punches pulled and not a sob story for himself. Kimmage did a very good job.

    Moss Keane's book was a very good read too. ROG's book was good; a typically honest account of himself so much so that he doesn't necessarily always paint himself in a good light at times. Trevor Brennan's book is another decent read but it does get lost a bit in the working class hero guff and that it was him against the world. Martin Johnson's book, avoid. Dull as dishwater. Dallaglio's is somewhat better, not great. Jackman's book can be condensed into about 50 pages, the rest is just filler but those 50 pages are very interesting.


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    #26
    GerM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,592 ✭✭✭GerM


    Webbs wrote: »
    Brian Moores autobiography Beware of the Dog is a superb book well written and gives an insight into what drives a world class player to the heights he hit. Not your usual rugby book of anecdotes and funny stories

    Will definitely have to get that. I'm a massive fan of Moore. He's a bit of a focal point for many people to vent their spleen but you have to have the utmost respect for the man and just how far he has come in his life within the game and personally.


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    #27
    Clearlier
    Registered Users Posts: 4,454 ✭✭✭Clearlier


    GerM wrote: »
    In fairness, that was a biography piggy backing on BOD's popularity. He wasn't involved in it.

    I've recently finished Matt Hampson's book. Gut wrenchingly sad whilst also inspiring. No punches pulled and not a sob story for himself. Kimmage did a very good job.

    Moss Keane's book was a very good read too. ROG's book was good; a typically honest account of himself so much so that he doesn't necessarily always paint himself in a good light at times. Trevor Brennan's book is another decent read but it does get lost a bit in the working class hero guff and that it was him against the world. Martin Johnson's book, avoid. Dull as dishwater. Dallaglio's is somewhat better, not great. Jackman's book can be condensed into about 50 pages, the rest is just filler but those 50 pages are very interesting.


    Apologies if I gave the impression that BOD was involved. I wouldn't expect him to be involved in such rubbish in a million years. Incidentally if/when he does do his own definitive book (he did a diary of a year a few years ago I think) I'm not sure it'll be that interesting to read.

    Just remembered that I have Axel's book, there's a reason that I forgot about it though..., might be ok for a Munster fan bit like I enjoyed Jackman's book but can see why non-Leinster fans wouldn't be interested. Ditto Paddy John's although that might be tough going even for the Ulster fans.

    If we move beyond Irish books then Nigel Owens book is worth a read. Will Greenwood's is total rubbish, very disappointing from a man who comes across as quite thoughtful. Phil Vickery's book is almost as bad as 'In BOD we trust'. Woodward does give insight into his mindset if you can get past the ego. I really enjoyed George Gregan's book 'Half Back, half forward'. I knew almost nothing about him before I read it so found it pretty interesting


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    #28
    GerM
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,592 ✭✭✭GerM


    Clearlier wrote: »
    Just remembered that I have Axel's book, there's a reason that I forgot about it though..., might be ok for a Munster fan bit like I enjoyed Jackman's book but can see why non-Leinster fans wouldn't be interested. Ditto Paddy John's although that might be tough going even for the Ulster fans.

    Foley's is very chip on the shoulder stuff. You can see why he was at the centre of the great Munster side that won the first HEC. It's very much the view that the world is against Munster and that nobody is going to help them but themselves. Not a great book but not the worst one I've read.

    Jake White's book is a very good read too now that I remember it. It's astounding to read some of the politics he had to deal with in his time in charge of S.A. The best story I recall was the announcement of the training squad for the 2007 WC when he put together a panel of 35 names for the squad. One of the top brass in the SARU read the squad out at the press conference and called out the 35 before quickly adding in Luke Watson in addition to White's squad. White just sat there listening in shock; he had never put Watson in the squad and had no idea that this was going to happen.


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    #29
    justdoit
    Registered Users Posts: 165 ✭✭justdoit


    GerM wrote: »
    In fairness, that was a biography piggy backing on BOD's popularity. He wasn't involved in it.

    I've recently finished Matt Hampson's book. Gut wrenchingly sad whilst also inspiring. No punches pulled and not a sob story for himself. Kimmage did a very good job.

    Moss Keane's book was a very good read too. ROG's book was good; a typically honest account of himself so much so that he doesn't necessarily always paint himself in a good light at times. Trevor Brennan's book is another decent read but it does get lost a bit in the working class hero guff and that it was him against the world. Martin Johnson's book, avoid. Dull as dishwater. Dallaglio's is somewhat better, not great. Jackman's book can be condensed into about 50 pages, the rest is just filler but those 50 pages are very interesting.

    +1 for Engage by Paul Kimmage (the storty of Matt Hampson). Very moving, and a great insight in to life at Leicester, the politics that exist within the RFU etc.


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    #30
    nameandanumber
    Registered Users Posts: 107 ✭✭nameandanumber


    '100 Irish Rugby Greats' by John Scally is a good book that you can dip in and out of. Each player gets between 2/3 pages with a funny/interesting story...

    Link


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    #31
    EKClarke
    Closed Accounts Posts: 220 ✭✭EKClarke


    How about This Sporting Life its a book as well as a movie with Richard Harris. Its about rugby and he was nominated for an Oscar. Great movie.


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