As a pivotal member of the Wallabies, five-eighth Stephen Larkham was as close as anyone to the centre of action in the 2003 Rugby World Cup. Here, in an enthralling day-by-day account, he tells the inside story of the biggest rugby event ever staged. Larkham tells the behind-the-scenes story of the Wallabies' disastrous lead-up to their World Cup campaign, then follows the fortunes of the main contenders, from the World Cup kick-off in Sydney on 10 October through to the tournament's remarkable Australia-England final on 22 November. Along the way, Larkham provides his own assessments of his fellow Wallabies, their coach, Eddie Jones, the strengths and weaknesses of the Wallabies' main rivals, and the impact of the negative media coverage and enormous public interest and hype surrounding the World Cup. This is a book to be savoured by all rugby followers.

From 1997 to 2003 England and Australia battled for domination of the rugby world in one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever known. In The Men in the Arena, William Hill shortlisted authors Peter Burns and Tom English explore every aspect of the teams' journey to the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, telling the story primarily in the words of the protagonists at the centre of the battle. Featuring exclusive new interviews with players and coaches from both teams plus an array of superstars who faced them from New Zealand, Ireland, France, Wales and beyond, this is the inside story like it has never been told before.

"A day to day diary of the only Australian referee at the Rugby Union World Cup in France 2007. Match commentary, rugby laws and tactics, highs and lows." -- Provided by publisher.

Dally Messenger, Ken Catchpole, Dick Thornett, David Campese, John Eales, Nick Farr-Jones, Cyril Towers, Mark Ella, George Smith, Dave Brockhoff, Andrew Slack, Ray Price, John Hipwell, Jason Little, Phil Kearns, Will Genia... Herbert 'Paddy' Moran was mesmerised by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. He was also the first captain of a strange, disparate bunch who called themselves the Wallabies. One hundred years on, the Wallabies of today are as outlandish, cocksure and eccentric as their forebears. It is the spirit and soul of this group of remarkable sportsmen that is captured in Inside the Wallabies. This is the real story of the Wallabies from their first games in 1908 to today. It is about the players, the coaches, the politics and the games. It is about the soaring highs of World Cup success and the years when they truly deserved the moniker of Woeful Wallabies. It is about going on Tour, about enmities and friendships, about moments of national elation and player shame. As fast paced as a Mark Ella backline play, as solid as Phil Kearns' front row and as controversial as a Robbie Deans selection, Inside the Wallabies is a fascinating, passionate and insightful history of the world of the Australian Rugby Union. It is a book no rugby fan can be without.

Fully illustrated profiles of the most legendary Australian rugby union players. Hardcover and jacket gift book which names a best of the best 15-strong line-up of Australian rugby union players. Each Immortal player named is profiled in a dedicated chapter with career stats and multiple action images. There is also a group of honourable mentions and an Immortals Wallaby side. Features 100 photographs and key statistics. The Immortals of Australian Rugby Union celebrates the greatest players to wear the green and gold for the Wallabies. It takes the Immortals concept made famous elsewhere in the sporting world and applies it to the 15-player game. Gordon Bray, the voice of rugby in Australia, chooses his XV Immortals, telling the remarkable stories behind pioneering and modern-day Wallabies.

How did you spend the long, hot, World Cup summer of 2018? For Jonathan Northcroft, chief football writer of The Sunday Times, it was 35 unforgettable days spent criss-crossing Russia, covering the biggest sporting event on the planet. He reported on a new England team: young, daring and successful both on the pitch, where they defied expectations to reach the semi-final, and off it, where they took on reporters in a darts challenge. He discovered a different Russia to the hostile state he was warned about in pre-tournament security briefings: open, friendly and football mad. And he experienced the rush of working as a football writer at the very top of the game: meeting the players, going to the games, and battling the deadlines. This is his personal account of a month when we dropped everything to watch the best World Cup for a generation.