Download or read book Fringes written by Ben Mercer and published by Outlier Press. This book was released on 2021-07-24 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Updated edition of the #1 Amazon Bestseller LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE 2020 Sports books tend to detail extraordinary achievements, triumphs against the odds or commemorate World Cup winning captains. This book does not do that. For many, playing professional sport is the Dream Job. Few manage it, very few make it to the top and for the rest, life is very different. This is their story. In Fringes, Ben Mercer invites you to witness life at the outer edges of professional rugby. This is a first hand account of what life is like as a journeyman professional athlete. You play, but to the wider public you don't exist. You earn but you don't drive a flash car. You sometimes pack out a stadium but sometimes, you play in a deserted park. This is the story for the majority of sports professionals. Only the minority taste the top, only one person gets to lift the cup or win the medal, only 15 get to play for England at any one time. For the rest, that’s not the case. Ben Mercer is a former professional rugby player who after becoming disillusioned and uninspired plying his trade in the English Second Division, accepted an offer out of the blue to go to France and do something different - help an amateur team turn professional. This is a first hand account of what life is like in the lower reaches of professional sport - where your employment status is as precarious as your health and barely anyone will know your name. It's about how it feels to live year to year, with teammates constantly on the move. It's about how professionalism irreversibly changes the French club Stade Rouennais as they move up the divisions, about the tension between progress and identity in a rugby team. It's also about how it feels to actually be out there on the field, how it feels to occasionally do something extraordinary and how it feels when this is no longer enough for you to make the sacrifices that you need to make to keep playing. There's no ghostwriting, it's an unmitigated meditation on how it feels and what it means to play rugby for a living, to dedicate yourself to an uncompromising but occasionally beautiful game. If you've wanted to know what life is really like as a professional athlete, on the Fringes, away from the glitz and glamour of the international game then look no further.

Download or read book Rugby Tales written by Lawrence Dallaglio and published by Headline Book Publishing. This book was released on 2009 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rugby.

Download or read book The Science of Rugby written by Craig Twist and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2014-11-20 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Science of Rugby is the only book to examine the scientific principles underpinning the preparation of rugby players for high performance. Drawing on the very latest scientific evidence, and covering both codes (union and league), the book explores every aspect of preparation and performance that introduces best practice by leading coaches and sports science professionals from around the rugby world. The book covers key topics such as: Physical preparation and conditioning Strength and power training Monitoring match and training demands Match-day strategies for enhancing physical and technical performance Management of fatigue and recovery Training and playing in the heat Travel and jet lag Injury epidemiology Psychological preparation Performance analysis Biomechanics Nutrition Talent identification and youth development The book also incorporates several case-studies to demonstrate how scientific principles have been applied in practice. No other book bridges the gap between theory and applied practice in rugby, from grass roots to elite international standard, and therefore this is essential reading for any student, researcher, sport scientist, coach, physiotherapist or clinician with an interest in the game.

Download or read book It s All Rugby written by Rick O'Shea and published by Y Lolfa. This book was released on 2015-01-09 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hunangofiant y cyflwynydd a'r pyndit rygbi poblogaidd Rick O'Shea. Cynrychiolodd ei dad ei wlad, gan chwarae i Gymru a'r Llewod yn y gamp, a chwaraeodd Rick yntau ar lefel ysgol, clwb a choleg. Mae'n hawlio'r hynodrwydd o fod yn fewnwr a newidiodd i chwarae yn safle prop! This is the autobiography of the popular Welsh rugby pundit and presenter, Rick O'Shea. Rick comes from good rugby stock, his father John having played for Wales and the British Lions. He's no stranger to playing the game himself, having played schoolboy, club and Student rugby. He has the unusual distinction of being a scrum half who was converted to play prop!

Download or read book Mind Captives written by Haneef Shittu and published by Haneef Shittu. This book was released on 2021-04-01 with total page 118 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a point where everyone breaks. Some can be repaired and eventually come out stronger, while some are left forever broken and mentally shattered. The change that both groups experience will open their mind to the world they live in as they come to the belief that they are to blame for everything that has happened. But if everyone is blaming themselves, the question is: who really is to blame for it all?

Download or read book Memoirs of a Rugby Playing Man written by Jay Atkinson and published by Macmillan. This book was released on 2012-04-24 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: If all sports are really about war, then rugby is a heart-thumping epic of bayonet charges and hand-to-hand fighting. In Memoirs of a Rugby-Playing Man, bestselling author Jay Atkinson describes his thirty-five year odyssey in the sport-from his rough and rowdy days at the University of Florida, through the intrigue of various foreign tours, club championships, and all star selections, up to his current stint with the freewheeling Vandals Rugby Club out of Los Angeles. Jay has played in more than 500 matches, for which he's suffered three broken ribs, a detached retina, a fractured cheekbone and orbital bone, four deadened teeth, and a dislocated ankle. Written in the style of Siegried Sassoon's Memoirs of a Fox-Hunting Man, Atkinson's book explains why it was all worth it--the sum total of his violent adventures, and the valuable insights he has gained from them.

Download or read book Playing It Safe written by Amy Andrews and published by Entangled: Brazen. This book was released on 2021-09-06 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Donovan Bane loves playing rugby for the Sydney Smoke. And if that means he has to keep his sexuality a secret, that’s a sacrifice he’s prepared to make—for now. He’d rather be known for his footy skills than being the first actively pro rugby player in Australia to officially come out. And that means no dating, no relationships, no sex. Nothing but playing ball. Until Beckett Stanton changes everything. Beck is out and proud—and not looking for a guy who isn’t. Been there, done that, total disaster. He certainly can’t afford to compromise his new job for the Sydney Smoke just because he’s locked eyes with Donovan Bane. Big, gruff, and athletic isn’t usually Beck’s type, but for some reason this man is ticking every box. Maybe he’s the one to show Donovan everything he’s been missing... For the first time, Donovan isn’t playing by the rules. With Beck, he’s indulging in things he knows he can’t have. But when their relationship gets serious, Donovan faces a showdown between the career he loves and the man he’s falling for. How can he possibly have both when losing is not an option? Each book in the Sydney Smoke Rugby series is STANDALONE: * Playing By Her Rules * Playing It Cool * Playing the Player * Playing With Forever * Playing House * Playing Dirty * Playing It Safe * Playing It Tough

Download or read book What a Life written by Keith Weber and published by Balboa Press. This book was released on 2020-11-23 with total page 572 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Keith Weber recalls a lifetime of being an entrepreneur and living life to the fullest during his forty-five years in New Zealand and now forty years in Australia in this memoir. He grew up with his uncle and aunt, but he loved them as though they were his parents. When his mother remarried, he was told he could go live with her and his stepfather, but he decided to stay put. He enjoyed being a Boy Scout, went to Sunday School, loved Rugby Union, and observed with interest the happenings surrounding World War II. But growing up, he also made some wrong choices and faced some hard times. As he got older and entered the workforce, he learned that truth of sayings such as, “God works in mysterious ways” and “Tough Times Never Last -But Tough People Do!” In sharing his experiences, he provides lessons for those who want to start their own business, travel, and meantime enjoy life.

Download or read book Sonny Bill Williams written by Sonny Bill Williams and published by Hachette Australia. This book was released on 2021-10-13 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) is a once in a hundred-year athlete with immense sporting talent in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Boxing. Sonny Bill has built an incredible career and sporting reputation across the globe. His athleticism has taken him from inner-city Auckland, where he grew up, to the highest sporting moments in Twickenham, Eden Park and Sydney's Olympic Stadium. But there is so much more to Sonny Bill Williams' life and journey than his on-field and in-the-ring triumphs. Sonny Bill's love of family, his faith, his skill and performance throughout his unparalleled sporting career, his ability to unite a team under pressure, his grace in owning his mistakes, the challenges of leaving home as a young man and dealing with a negative culture and the temptations that followed, and his courage in speaking out for the vulnerable and calling out injustice are all aspects of an inspiring life story. Sonny Bill Williams was the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks. Driven by a fierce moral compass, Sonny Bill Williams thoughtfully and authentically uses his standing and platform as both a UNICEF Ambassador and an elite sportsperson to speak out on political issues that confront the world today and to benefit those struggling in life. He is a dedicated family man, devoted to his faith, committed to his teammates, respectful of his fans and aware that the path he has taken can inspire and empower others. Working with Alan Duff, award-winning author of Once Were Warriors, this will be the must-read autobiography of the year.

Download or read book Legacy written by James Kerr and published by Constable. This book was released on 2013-11-07 with total page 153 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds. They follow the spearhead. They keep a blue head. They are good ancestors. In Legacy, best-selling author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world's most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful and practical lessons for leadership and business. Legacy is a unique, inspiring handbook for leaders in all fields, and asks: What are the secrets of success - sustained success? How do you achieve world-class standards, day after day, week after week, year after year? How do you handle pressure? How do you train to win at the highest level? What do you leave behind you after you're gone? What will be your legacy?

Download or read book Rugby Tough written by Bruce D. Hale and published by Human Kinetics. This book was released on 2002 with total page 268 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Drawing on the collective knowledge of experienced players and coaches, this book prepares rugby players to withstand the rigours of the sport. It helps identify strengths and weaknesses and goes on to game strategy and improving the team's mental focus.

Download or read book Option B written by Sheryl Sandberg and published by Knopf. This book was released on 2017-04-24 with total page 241 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: #1 NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • From authors of Lean In and Originals: a powerful, inspiring, and practical book about building resilience and moving forward after life’s inevitable setbacks After the sudden death of her husband, Sheryl Sandberg felt certain that she and her children would never feel pure joy again. “I was in ‘the void,’” she writes, “a vast emptiness that fills your heart and lungs and restricts your ability to think or even breathe.” Her friend Adam Grant, a psychologist at Wharton, told her there are concrete steps people can take to recover and rebound from life-shattering experiences. We are not born with a fixed amount of resilience. It is a muscle that everyone can build. Option B combines Sheryl’s personal insights with Adam’s eye-opening research on finding strength in the face of adversity. Beginning with the gut-wrenching moment when she finds her husband, Dave Goldberg, collapsed on a gym floor, Sheryl opens up her heart—and her journal—to describe the acute grief and isolation she felt in the wake of his death. But Option B goes beyond Sheryl’s loss to explore how a broad range of people have overcome hardships including illness, job loss, sexual assault, natural disasters, and the violence of war. Their stories reveal the capacity of the human spirit to persevere . . . and to rediscover joy. Resilience comes from deep within us and from support outside us. Even after the most devastating events, it is possible to grow by finding deeper meaning and gaining greater appreciation in our lives. Option B illuminates how to help others in crisis, develop compassion for ourselves, raise strong children, and create resilient families, communities, and workplaces. Many of these lessons can be applied to everyday struggles, allowing us to brave whatever lies ahead. Two weeks after losing her husband, Sheryl was preparing for a father-child activity. “I want Dave,” she cried. Her friend replied, “Option A is not available,” and then promised to help her make the most of Option B. We all live some form of Option B. This book will help us all make the most of it.

Download or read book Macmillan s Magazine written by and published by . This book was released on 1874 with total page 1078 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Just This Once written by Rosalind James and published by Rosalind James. This book was released on 2014-11-21 with total page 310 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Everyone needs to be rescued sometimes. Everyone but Hannah Montgomery, that is. She just needs a vacation. Three weeks Down Under, a vacation in New Zealand to sort out her life, figure out what she wants, seems just right. Oh, and to relax. She should definitely put that on the agenda. She certainly isn't looking for a sexy fling with a professional rugby player, no matter how attractive he is. Hannah doesn't do casual. But maybe just this once ... As much as he's shared with Hannah, Drew Callahan has kept one very big secret. He's the captain of New Zealand's All Blacks rugby team, and the most famous rugby player on earth. And learning the truth, now that she's back home again, has made Hannah warier than ever. Drew knows that she's right for him. But how can he convince her to let down her guard enough to explore what they could have together? Go Down Under in this steamy New Zealand sports romance. Fans of Jill Shalvis, Catherine Bybee, and Kristin Higgins will enjoy this book.

Download or read book The Dynamics of Modern Rugby written by Bruce Davies and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2021-03-31 with total page 156 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The modern game of rugby football has become gladiatorial, whereby muscular athletic players are involved in a form of collision chess with sophisticated defences smothering the offensive skills that were at one time a more dominant feature of the game. The contributors to this book consider the physical, mental and nutritional demands of the game in its present form and how best to acquire these attributes in the most effective and efficient manner. The inevitable injuries that are associated with collision are considered in terms of prevention and the most effective forms of treatment. New concepts to improve exercise capacity, game preparation and recovery are discussed in conjunction with the modern coaching theories of the game. The possible changes to the rules are discussed by two outstanding International referees, and the future vision for World Rugby is outlined by the President of World Rugby. The Dynamics of Modern Rugby is both a unique and contemporary addition to the rugby literature and, as such, is essential reading for any student, researcher, coach, sports scientist, physiotherapist, nutritionist or clinician with an interest in rugby.

Download or read book MacMillan s Magazine written by Sir George Grove and published by . This book was released on 1874 with total page 606 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Beware of the Dog written by Brian Moore and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-01-06 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: WINNER OF THE 2010 WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE. Brian Moore, or 'Pitbull' as he came to be known during nearly a decade at the heart of the England rugby team's pack, established himself as one of the game's original hard men at a time when rugby was still an amateur sport. Since his retirement, he has earned a reputation as an equally uncompromising commentator, never afraid to tell it as he sees it and lash out at the money men and professionals that have made rugby into such a different beast. Yet, for all his bullishness on and off the pitch, there also appears a more unconventional, complicated side to the man. A solicitor by trade, Moore's love of fine wine, career experience as a manicurist and preference for reading Shakespeare in the dressing room before games, mark him out as anything but the stereotypical rugby player and in Beware of the Dog Moore lays open with astounding frankness the shocking events, both personal and professional, that have gone towards shaping him over the years. Presenting an unparalleled insight into the mind of one of British rugby's greatest players and characters, Beware of the Dog is a uniquely engaging and upfront sporting memoir, and a deserved winner of the William Hill Sports Book of the Year prize.