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The Death of Rugby: Neil Back’s Story
£14.10£18.00 (-22%)
Fourteen years since his autobiography, Size Doesn’t Matter, English rugby’s most decorated flanker, Neil Back, returns with a tale of triumphs, heartaches and broken promises. From his anti-hero role as ‘The Hand of Back’ in Leicester Tigers’ European Cup triumph over Munster, to Grand Slam glory and the 2003 World Cup with England, Neil is never far from the story. The Death of Rugby dissects the Lions’ disastrous 2005 tour of New Zealand, the ousting of his mentor Dean Richards from Leicester Tigers, and Neil’s three years in charge of Leeds, before being recruited by The Rugby Football Club, and why Neil and his colleagues had to walk away, despite an unbeaten season, and league and cup double. Neil deals with the adjustment from professional sportsman into family and regular working life, despite a critical illness in 2013, which has shaped his perspective on life.
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Additional information
| Publisher | First Edition (1 Aug. 2015), Pitch Publishing |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Hardcover | 256 pages |
| ISBN-10 | 1785310542 |
| ISBN-13 | 978-1785310546 |
| Dimensions | 15.88 x 2.54 x 24.13 cm |
by Amazon Customer
Neil Back’s latest book ‘The Death of Rugby’ tells many different stories, from winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003, the unsuccessful British & Irish Lions tour in 2005, Neil’s time at Leicester Tigers, his coaching career to making the adjustment from having been a professional rugby player and coach to everyday working life.
Great anecdotes and memories throughout the book, keeping the reader engaged.
A must-read for all rugby fans and enthusiasts!
I thoroughly enjoyed the read!!
by Paul Dhillon-Farnsworth
I really couldn’t put this down. Back’s views and anecdotes really challenged my views on rugby, sport and even on what is needed to succeed in the modern world. He is a genuine legend as a World Cup winner and this book helps you see the man behind the success. Some of the stories were pretty surprising and have to be read to be believed. The writing is insightful, articulate and reminiscent of George Orwell in his early career. Good work from this Dean Eldredge fellow. It is of the highest quality, and, dare I say it, a tour de force of rugger writing. Back is back!
by adam perkins
A good follow up to Neil Back’s 2002 book Size Doesn’t Matter. Details his playing career since that time and then his coaching career afterwards. This new book is co-written so the language is less raw than the first book which I recall was written by Neil Back alone – but that doesn’t make it worse or better, just different in tone. It contains some trenchant opinions on the modern game of rugby especially about the governance of clubs. Surely Neil Back should be listened to by the RFU? Maybe he should even be running it as he has a meticulous attention to detail and a deep understanding of professional rugby.
by JK
Neil Back was a pivotal player for Leicester Tigers, England and The British and Irish Lions. On his last game for the Lions he became, I believe, the oldest ‘Test British Lion’ ever and he also played in three world cup campaigns for England including their 2003 win. So; here it is then – the reveal all.
‘The Death of Rugby’ concentrates on three key areas of a varied and influential career; the abysmal 2005 Lions tour of New Zealand under the management of Clive Woodward, Leicester Tigers with a brief look behind the scenes at the time of Dean Richard’s departure, and a review of Back’s more recent rugby career and the reasons he walked away from a enviable position with The Rugby Football Club. His final adjustment from athlete/coach to an everyday life is also well covered.
There are anecdotes, a look at the sport from both sides of the pitch, playing and coaching, but most of all this is the story of a life spent in rugby union and personal opinions based on first hand experience. I suppose this is the final summing up since ‘Size doesn’t Matter’, published 2002, and maybe it was cathartic for Back to put a final full stop to the end of his rugby union career so far however; there’s enough ambition and self promotion on show here I doubt he’d stay away for long if the right offer was made.
Is the book interesting?. Mostly. There are always ‘flat’ areas in this type of book. I usually don’t find the family, domestic chapters that gripping and the 2005 Lions tour was a long time ago and has been regularly covered/panned over the years since but there was enough here to keep me hooked and it is a very easy read.
What didn’t surprise me is that the man is still edgy, still a rugby player and a tough cookie. He recently came through a serious illness with that gritty mentality and toughness he regularly displayed on the rugby pitch. Mellowed with age?. Maybe on the outside!. He’s still tenacious and highly opinionated. He’s still ‘Backie’.
Additional contributions by; Martin Johnson, Clive Woodward, Jonny Wilkinson and Lawrence Dallaglio.
Worth a read.
by Amazon Customer
Top player and a story from the very top from someone who’s been there and got the t-shirt.
Backy is an inspiration to young boys like my son who’s the same ilk, a small, blonde number seven with fire in his belly, people question his height too, he usually leaves them in a pile. Cheers Neil.
by William
Not as good as expected
by M Madgwick
Interesting to get his history in context and an insight into the person!
by David Lowther
I think I knew all about Neil Back’s playing career I needed to know so the first half of the book was not of must interest to me but the second half was very good as he tried to make his way into the coaching world.
Badly let down by both Leeds and Edinburgh and totally shafted by the owner of Rugby Lions, Neil has now left coaching which is a great pity because what shines through this book best is his complete understanding of Rugby and his empathy with the players. Neil Back could yet make a great coach.