Ever since the springboks won the Rugby World Cup in 1995, South Africans have been passionate about the tournament that is the pinnacle of sporting achievement. Nick Mallett, who coached the Boks at the 1999 World Cup, has become a household name for his incisive and forthright commentary and analysis. Join him as he takes you into the beating heart of the tournament, which kicks off in Paris in September. He tackles the following key questions: •How strong are the Boks going into the RWC? •Who are the favourites to win, and why? •How does one 'play' the referee – both on and off the field? •What are playing conditions like in France, where Mallett coached for a decade? •Can Rassie Erasmus do it again and pull off a double win? Filled with keen insights, opinions and anecdotes of games past, this is a book every fan should read.

"Collective Mindset: Sociological Insights into Sports Psychology" explores the intersection of sociology and sports psychology, examining how group dynamics and social factors influence athletic performance and team cohesion. The book delves into topics such as team culture, leadership, social identity, and the impact of broader societal issues on sports teams. It offers a unique perspective by applying sociological theories to understand the collective behaviors and mindsets that shape athletic success. Through case studies and research findings, the authors demonstrate how understanding these social dimensions can enhance coaching strategies, team building, and overall performance in competitive sports environments. This work provides valuable insights for coaches, sports psychologists, and researchers interested in the social aspects of sports performance.

"TOE EK IN MY EERSTE WÊRELDBEKERWEDSTRYD UITDRAF, WAS DAAR IETS SOOS 54 000 MENSE. JY SIEN NET KAMERAFLITSE, DIS AMPER HIPNOTIES . . . DIE COACH SKREE VIR MY: 'CHUCKY, WAARMEE IS JY BESIG?' TOE BESEF EK EK IS BESIG OM VIR DIE MENSE TE WAAI." – LOUIS 'CHUCKY' VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Het jy al ooit gewonder hoe 50 000 ekstatiese ondersteuners op die paviljoen klink of wat dit beteken om 'n Springbokbaadjie in jou kas te hê? In die aanloop tot die Rugbywêreldbeker het die joernalis Hendrik Hancke die land deurkruis om met oud-Springbokke, provinsiale spelers, breiers en 'n rugbyskrywer te gesels oor hul liefde vir rugby. Hulle deel persoonlike oorwinnings en teleurstellings, die lesse wat rugby hulle al geleer het, spesiale kleedkamer-oomblikke en stories oor wat van die veld af gebeur. Schalk Brits verduidelik byvoorbeeld waarom dit so noodsaaklik is vir 'n Springbok om 'n spanspeler te wees, terwyl Gcobani Bobo aangrypend vertel van sy reis met rugby van King Williamstown tot Nieu-Seeland. Frik du Preez lig weer die sluier oor hoe dit was om in die 1960's te toer en die kattekwaad wat hulle aangevang het, terwyl Jean de Villiers deel wat dit beteken om Springbokkaptein te wees. As jy Saterdagmiddae kliphard vir die televisie skree, of op die sypaadjie sal slaap om 'n kaartjie vir 'n groot wedstryd te kry, dan is dié boek vir jou.

The mention of sport mega-events conjures up images and memories of London 2012 or anticipation of FIFA 2014, the 2016 Rio Olympics and beyond. Indeed, the expanding annual calendar of sport mega-events, both in terms of the bidding process and the actual hosting of the event means that there is rarely time for considered reflection. This is particularly true within the context of neo-liberalism and an obsession with creating world class sporting cities that are propelled by state-private promotional discourses that often silence oppositional voices.This edited collection focuses on Rugby World Cup 2011 in order to examine the contested terrain of one particular sport mega-event with respect to its economic, political and cultural impact both locally and globally. As an event, the 2011 Rugby World Cup was unique in many ways but perhaps the most notable are the nations remote geographic location and at just over four million people its small population. This anthology addresses how the Rugby World Cup has changed since its inception in 1987 including a major shift in the globalisation of the game, professionalization, player migration and television and sponsorship rights. The core of the anthology explores how the event impacted on various segments of New Zealand society: from the state to regions and individual citizens. Collectively the implications are relevant for all who are interested in sport mega-events whether it is from a political, economic, scholarly or policy perspective.This book was published a sa special issue of Sport and Society.

This book provides a profile of the mature travel market based on recent research by review sites, tour operators and agents, and national press. It identifies recent trends with potential growth in destinations, types of holiday, the criteria holidaymakers use when planning a holiday, and how the final choice is made. Customer data and global demographic profiles leads to a range of strategic marketing options for those in tourism and travel sectors, and travel trends into 2021 and beyond. Despite significant changes globally as the coronavirus became a pandemic, the strategic approach identified here still forms a sound basis for taking the industry forward. Whether you are a student on a travel and tourism course, part of the global travel agency network, a tour operator, or provider of products and services, this book covers the underpinning profile of who the 50+ mature customer is, what they are looking for, and, ultimately, strategies to inform and encourage them to buy in the future.

Twenty years of professionalism has seen rugby union undergo dramatic transformations, from changes to everyday training cultures to the growth of the Rugby World Cup into one of the largest global sporting events. The Rugby World in the Professional Era is the first book to examine the effect that professionalism has had across a number of different aspects of the game and the wider socio-cultural significance of these changes through case studies from across the globe. Drawing on contributions from scholars from across the rugby-playing world, the book explores the role of rugby's professionalisation through a number of social-scientific lenses, including: labour migration race and indigenous populations the globalisation of the game mega-event management male sexualities media representations of rugby - from broadcasting matches to rugby in museums and on stage and screen Offering insights into under-researched areas of the sport, such as the growth of Rugby Sevens into an Olympic sport, and providing the most up-to-date recent history of the sport available, The Rugby World in the Professional Era is essential reading for anyone with an academic interest in rugby, and any student or scholar with interests in sports history, sports sociology, sport management or the economics of professional sport.

Twenty years of professionalism has seen rugby union undergo dramatic transformations, from changes to everyday training cultures to the growth of the Rugby World Cup into one of the largest global sporting events. The Rugby World in the Professional Era is the first book to examine the effect that professionalism has had across a number of different aspects of the game and the wider socio-cultural significance of these changes through case studies from across the globe. Drawing on contributions from scholars from across the rugby-playing world, the book explores the role of rugby's professionalisation through a number of social-scientific lenses, including: labour migration race and indigenous populations the globalisation of the game mega-event management male sexualities media representations of rugby - from broadcasting matches to rugby in museums and on stage and screen Offering insights into under-researched areas of the sport, such as the growth of Rugby Sevens into an Olympic sport, and providing the most up-to-date recent history of the sport available, The Rugby World in the Professional Era is essential reading for anyone with an academic interest in rugby, and any student or scholar with interests in sports history, sports sociology, sport management or the economics of professional sport.