English Rugby, A Game of Two Halves
In 1823 William Webb Ellis picked up the ball and ran. In 2003 England won the World Cup. What happened in between?
Graham Wilson’s hugely entertaining read … doesn’t celebrate England’s Rugby World Cup win, but tells you why it took so long to achieve. This 200-page wisecracking narrative, written by the renowned Macclesfield author, sportsman and academic, points the finger firmly at those who saw the game as an extension of class warfare.
Cheshire Life
Graham Wilson, for thirty years an England Schools selector, gives an astute historical insight into English rugby. Published just before the 2003 World Cup victory, English Rugby, A Game of Two Halves is his informed and entertaining appraisal of the game, from its violent beginnings to professional status. He takes a look at the long-running North-South feud, the growth of the Clubs, coaches, youth rugby, the might of the referee and the RFU. And recalls incidents from his time as an England Schools selector. The book is wittily illustrated by Robin Hidden.
- cover
- hardback
- dimensions
- 170x120mm, viii + 200 pp
- list price
- £12.50
- website price
- £8.50
- ISBN
- 978 1 902173 139