Good Rugby Reads

Tim

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/behind-the-lines/2016/jan/28/roger-wilson-interview-ulster-ireland-rugby-union'>â€˜Jesus, Iâ€™ve got slowâ€™: the pain of approaching the end of a rugby career</a>

mariner4life

That was awesome Tim. Different levels obviously, but i really identified with how he was feeling, in terms of during the game, after the game, and what i miss the most. I finished at the same age he is as well.
 
 
 
I am most of the way through Dan's book. One thing i will say, it's refreshingly honest.

MN5

I've pretty much given up on Rugby books to the point where I won't even flick through them at Whitcoulls. Norm Hewitts was awesome and head over heels above the rest cos he wasn't afraid to have a go at people he thought had wronged him, Peter Fats, Justin Marshall and Josh Kronfelds were also pretty good although far less eye opening but you get the feeling with the rest that none of the former ( as is usually the case ) players want to bite the hand that might still feed them one day. They're just boring.

taniwharugby

I guess people just see things differently too, different cultures, different eras, plus if you've had a decent fist of it, maybe you just don't have an axe to grind, or the issues you did have, weren't ones you felt were worth writing about?

MN5

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="554993" data-time="1454035981">
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I guess people just see things differently too, different cultures, different eras, plus if you've had a decent fist of it, maybe you just don't have an axe to grind, or the issues you did have, weren't ones you felt were worth writing about?
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Yeah fair call and then I guess it comes down to the fact that the life of a sports person, even at the elite level, often isn't particularly compelling reading unless there's a few brushes with the law, substance abuse etc.

taniwharugby

but then the modern sportsmen (well most of them) are all managed and given training/guidance of what they should and shouldn't do, a few still manage to stray from the line and get a bit stupid, but for the most part, these guys know it is a job with a limited shelf life so toe the line.
 
Sure they may cut loose away form the sport, but again, in todays world, they are likely still on guard as there is always some dickhead with their camera out to catch you dry humping some dog!

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="MN5" data-cid="554989" data-time="1454035027">
I've pretty much given up on Rugby books to the point where I won't even flick through them at Whitcoulls. Norm Hewitts was awesome and head over heels above the rest cos he wasn't afraid to have a go at people he thought had wronged him, Peter Fats, Justin Marshall and Josh Kronfelds were also pretty good although far less eye opening but you get the feeling with the rest that none of the former ( as is usually the case ) players want to bite the hand that might still feed them one day. They're just boring.</blockquote>
 
I felt Kronfeld's was a bit of a whinge fest. Interspersed with "I'm so laid back and cool" comments. Made me duslike him where I didn't previously.

ulsterman

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Tim" data-cid="554914" data-time="1454023850">
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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/behind-the-lines/2016/jan/28/roger-wilson-interview-ulster-ireland-rugby-union'>â€˜Jesus, Iâ€™ve got slowâ€™: the pain of approaching the end of a rugby career</a>
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<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="554916" data-time="1454024949">
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That was awesome Tim. Different levels obviously, but i really identified with how he was feeling, in terms of during the game, after the game, and what i miss the most. I finished at the same age he is as well.
 
 
 
I am most of the way through Dan's book. One thing i will say, it's refreshingly honest. 
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Not so fecking awesome for me - he is a prime member of a back row whose most effective asset is (until the end of the season, at least) Nick fecking Williams . . .

mariner4life

I can relate to that as well. By his age i had been moved from 7 into the world's smallest 2nd rower

jegga

<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/30/eddie-jones-england-six-nations'>http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/30/eddie-jones-england-six-nations</a> 
Really enjoyed this

KiwiPie

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="555380" data-time="1454207783">
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<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/30/eddie-jones-england-six-nations'>http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/jan/30/eddie-jones-england-six-nations</a> 
Really enjoyed this
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Yep that was fascinating.

Donsteppa

Reminded me of the Wayne Bennett quote along the lines of 'when I stop chipping them, they're either perfect or they're gone - and they need to decide which one pretty quick'. Some similarities there.

mariner4life

Finished Dan's book last week. As i said, i respected its honesty (likes beers, bored of the tri nations, wanted to quit) but i felt it was really light on these same areas that could have made it a sporting book with a bit of difference.
 
It's also badly written. Did you know Gilbert Enoka is the fantastic All Blacks mental skills coach? It's only mentioned about 100 times in the book.

Milk

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="mariner4life" data-cid="555778" data-time="1454368114">
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It's also badly written. Did you know Gilbert Enoka is the fantastic All Blacks mental skills coach? It's only mentioned about 100 times in the book. 
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That, and the fact that he'd like to get into player's off field development once he retires. I think at one point he says it twice within three sentences.

antipodean

Great interview with Mike Gibson.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/other-rugby/im-not-sure-id-have-wanted-to-be-a-professional-paul-kimmage-meets-rugby-legend-mike-gibson-34430028.html'>http://www.independent.ie/sport/rugby/other-rugby/im-not-sure-id-have-wanted-to-be-a-professional-paul-kimmage-meets-rugby-legend-mike-gibson-34430028.html</a>

ulsterman

Murray Kinsella's at it again:
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.the42.ie/ireland-wales-scrum-analysis-4-2595266-Feb2016/'>http://www.the42.ie/ireland-wales-scrum-analysis-4-2595266-Feb2016/</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.the42.ie/analysis-ireland-wales-six-nations-2016-attack-2594078-Feb2016/'>http://www.the42.ie/analysis-ireland-wales-six-nations-2016-attack-2594078-Feb2016/</a>
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.the42.ie/analysis-ireland-defence-wales-six-nations-2016-2591653-Feb2016/'>http://www.the42.ie/analysis-ireland-defence-wales-six-nations-2016-2591653-Feb2016/</a>

jegga

Mick Byrne interview
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/former-all-blacks-skills-coach-mick-byrne-is-open-to-a-future-with-the-wallabies/news-story/b45fa8fa17705ce188ebfe888c2a92e5'>http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/former-all-blacks-skills-coach-mick-byrne-is-open-to-a-future-with-the-wallabies/news-story/b45fa8fa17705ce188ebfe888c2a92e5</a>

Unite

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="jegga" data-cid="563706" data-time="1457591956">
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Mick Byrne interview
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/former-all-blacks-skills-coach-mick-byrne-is-open-to-a-future-with-the-wallabies/news-story/b45fa8fa17705ce188ebfe888c2a92e5'>http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/former-all-blacks-skills-coach-mick-byrne-is-open-to-a-future-with-the-wallabies/news-story/b45fa8fa17705ce188ebfe888c2a92e5</a>
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Good read that one, was about to post that as well. Be interesting if he ended up working with the Wallabies, can't blame him I guess. It will be interesting who fills this role for the All Blacks going forward (or is it already filled?), and whether there is a drop off in these types of skills.

Gary

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-time="1457602462" data-cid="563747" data-author="Unite">Good read that one, was about to post that as well. Be interesting if he ended up working with the Wallabies, can't blame him I guess. It will be interesting who fills this role for the All Blacks going forward (or is it already filled?), and whether there is a drop off in these types of skills.</blockquote>I recall Hart saying it wasn't his job as All Black coach to teach skills they should know how to catch a ball at level ~ talk about changes in coaching at the All Black level.

Crucial

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Gary" data-cid="563786" data-time="1457635435">
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I recall Hart saying it wasn't his job as All Black coach to teach skills they should know how to catch a ball at level ~ talk about changes in coaching at the All Black level.
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It has been going on at lower levels for sometime now.
 
The theory seems to be that you can't coach instinct, size and freak abilities but you can take players with these attributes and (if they have the desire) improve their skills endlessly.
 
I used to go to schoolboy trial musters where I was gobsmacked at the number of guys there with very low skill levels. Many could hardly pass a ball one way let alone both ways. Yet the final selections had more of these guys than those with good ball skills.
 
I like his anecdote about teams passing to the left. It's why left wingers in club teams usually get better opportunities than right wingers. Watch a club game and see how often the ball dies in the midfield when going left to right compared to the other way.
 
I think it is simply that the pro game allows coaching teams far more time to work on skills so they can afford to teach and enhance that area.

The Silver Fern

Good Rugby Reads