125 Years of the British and Irish Lions

125 Years of the British and Irish Lions PDF Author: Clem Thomas
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
ISBN: 9781780576022
Category : Rugby Union football matches
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
Updated edition of the author's History of the British & irish Lions.

Behind The Lions

Behind The Lions PDF Author: Stephen Jones
Publisher: Birlinn
ISBN: 0857905295
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 704

Book Description
For over 130 years the British & Irish Lions have stood out as a symbol of the ethics, values and romance at the heart of rugby union. To represent the Lions is the pinnacle for every international player in Britain and Ireland, and the dream of tens of thousands of avid fans who fol-low them. A Lions tour, undertaken every four years to the southern hemisphere, is more than a series of rugby matches played out on foreign fields; it is an epic crusade where the chosen few face a succession of mental and physical chal-lenges on their way to the Test arena, where they do battle with the superpowers of the world game. Behind the Lions sees seven esteemed rugby writers delve to the very heart of what it means to be a Lion, using diaries and letters from those who pioneered the concept, to interviews with a vast array of players who have followed in their footsteps. In so doing they have uncovered the passion, pride and honour experienced when taking up the unique challenge of a Lions tour. This is a tale of heart-break and ecstasy, humour and poignancy that is at once inspirational, moving and utterly compelling. And it is the only story worth hearing: the players' own.

The British and Irish Lions: the Official History

The British and Irish Lions: the Official History PDF Author: Greg Thomas
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781909534797
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 536

Book Description
Authorative, comprehensive, all encompassing and the last word on the history of the British & Irish Lions - this book is essential reading for dedicated followers of the team that best represents the spirit of rugby - The British & Irish Lions is one of the most storied teams in rugby history - and this is their only official history. - Over 130 years of Lions rugby is chronicled in this authoritative and lavishly illustrated book which was originally written by Clem Thomas, (Lion #386), up to the 1993 Tour and then carried on by his son Greg and renowned rugby writer, Rob Cole. - With over 500 pages of content the book is simply the most comprehensive and thorough re-telling of Lions' history - Each tour is covered in detail - Over 400 illustrations, including photographs, paintings, scrapbooks & memorabilia - A foreword by Lions Chairman, Jason Leonard #644 - A 75 page statistics section that includes: the score and team makeup of every Test played by the Lions, full lists of every Lion by A-Z and by order of appearance (from #1 Jack Anderton to #835 Finn Russell), records against each country, appearances, points, tries and so much more.

When Lions Roared

When Lions Roared PDF Author: Tom English
Publisher: Birlinn Ltd
ISBN: 0857903438
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 349

Book Description
By 1971 no Lions team had ever defeated the All Blacks in a Test series. Since 1904, six Lions sides had travelled to New Zealand and all had returned home bruised, battered and beaten. But the 1971 tour party was different. It was full of young, ambitious and outrageously talented players who would all go on to carve their names into the annals of sporting history during a golden period in British and Irish rugby. And at their centre was Carwyn Jones – an intelligent, sensitive rugby mastermind who would lead his team into the game's hardest playing arena while facing a ferocious, tragic battle in his personal life, all in pursuit of a seemingly impossible dream. Up against them was an All Blacks team filled with legends in the game in the likes of Colin Meads, Brian Lochore, Ian Kirkpatrick, Sid Going and Bryan Williams. But as the Lions swept through the provinces, lighting up the rugby fields of New Zealand the pressure began to mount on the home players in a manner never seen before. As the Test series loomed, it became clear that a clash that would echo through the ages was about to unfold. And at its conclusion, it was obvious to all that rugby would never be the same again.

The Lions: When the Going Gets Tough

The Lions: When the Going Gets Tough PDF Author: Ian McGeechan
Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 1473656567
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 442

Book Description
Sir Ian McGeechan is the 'Ultimate Lion'. Nobody's name resonates louder with the Lions than his. In 2017 the British and Irish Lions face one of the toughest tours in history - taking on the All Blacks in New Zealand, where they have only won one of their last 12 Tests. In this unique and fascinating book Sir Ian McGeechan uses his own coaching notes to provide insight and background into what it means to be a Lion, and how the most successful Lions teams in history were built. He will also delve into his rich collection of anecdotes to bring alive the characters involved, and it will undoubtedly be a book that even Warren Gatland will want to read.

Lion of Ireland

Lion of Ireland PDF Author: Morgan Llywelyn
Publisher: Macmillan
ISBN: 1429913207
Category : Fiction
Languages : en
Pages : 447

Book Description
King, warrior, and lover Brian Boru was stronger, braver, and wiser than all other men-the greatest king Ireland has ever known. Out of the mists of the country's most violent age, he merged to lead his people to the peak of their golden era. His women were as remarkable as his adventures: Fiona, the druidess with mystical powers; Deirdre, beautiful victim of a Norse invader's brutal lust; Gormlaith, six-foot, read-haired goddess of sensuality. Set against the barbaric splendors of the tenth century, Lion of Ireland is a story rich in truth and legend-in which friends become deadly enemies, bedrooms turn into battlefields, and dreams of glory are finally fulfilled. Morgan Llywelyn has written one of the greatest novels of Irish history. At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

The History of the British Lions

The History of the British Lions PDF Author: Clem Thomas
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Rugby Union football
Languages : en
Pages : 302

Book Description


Willie John

Willie John PDF Author: Willie John McBride
Publisher: Piatkus Books
ISBN: 9780749950378
Category : Rugby Union football
Languages : en
Pages : 320

Book Description
Willie John McBride is a rugby legend - the boy from Ballymena in Northern Ireland who became captain of the Ireland rugby team and captain of the British Lions for their unbeaten tour against South Africa in 1974. He has remained at the centre of rugby life ever since. During an international career lasting from 1962-75, Willie John played 17 tests for the Lions and was capped 63 times (12 as captain) by Ireland. He was awarded the MBE for services to rugby football in 1971 and later coached and managed the Lions and Ulster. Willie John reveals a man who loves his rugby, love, life, and loves to tell a good story. Despite his amazing success on the rugby field, his life was not always as happy and straightforward. He recounts and reveals details of his life from family tragedies to how he had to sleep with two bodyguards outside his door during the Troubles. The book also includes are many of Willie John's wonderful stories, for which he is justly famous.

No Borders

No Borders PDF Author: Tom English
Publisher: Birlinn
ISBN: 0857908448
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 506

Book Description
Fully updated to include Ireland's historic victory over the All Blacks and their 2018 Six Nations Grand Slam. From Jack Kyle's immortals to Brian O'Driscoll's golden generation, this is the story of Irish rugby told in the players' words. Celebrated rugby writer Tom English embarks on a pilgrimage through the four provinces to reveal the fascinating and illuminating story of playing test rugby in the emerald green of Ireland - all the glory of victory, all the pain of defeat, and all the craic behind the scenes.But this is more than just a nostalgic look back through the years, it is a searing portrait of the effects of politics and religion on Irish sport, a story of great schisms and volatile divisions, but also as story of the profound unity, passionate friendships and the bonds of a brotherhood. With exclusive new interview material with a host of Ireland rugby greats, No Borders unveils the compelling truth of what it means to play for Ireland at Lansdowne Road, Croke Park and around the world. This is the ultimate history of Irish rugby - told, definitively, by the men who have been there and done it.

When Lions Roar

When Lions Roar PDF Author: Thomas Maier
Publisher: Crown
ISBN: 0307956814
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 515

Book Description
The first comprehensive history of the deeply entwined personal and public lives of the Churchills and the Kennedys and what their “special relationship” meant for Great Britain and the United States When Lions Roar begins in the mid-1930s at Chartwell, Winston Churchill's country estate, with new revelations surrounding a secret business deal orchestrated by Joseph P. Kennedy, the soon-to-be American ambassador to Great Britain and the father of future American president John F. Kennedy. From London to America, these two powerful families shared an ever-widening circle of friends, lovers, and political associates – soon shattered by World War II, spying, sexual infidelity, and the tragic deaths of JFK's sister Kathleen and his older brother Joe Jr. By the 1960s and JFK's presidency, the Churchills and the Kennedys had overcome their bitter differences and helped to define the “greatness” in each other. Acclaimed biographer Thomas Maier tells this dynastic saga through fathers and their sons – and the remarkable women in their lives – providing keen insight into the Churchill and Kennedy families and the profound forces of duty, loyalty, courage and ambition that shaped them. He explores the seismic impact of Winston Churchill on JFK and American policy, wrestling anew with the legacy of two titans of the twentieth century. Maier also delves deeply into the conflicted bond between Winston and his son, Randolph, and the contrasting example of patriarch Joe Kennedy, a failed politician who successfully channeled his personal ambitions to his children. By approaching these iconic figures from a new perspective, Maier not only illuminates the intricacies of this all-important cross-Atlantic allegiance but also enriches our understanding of the tumultuous time in which they lived and the world events they so greatly influenced. With deeply human portraits of these flawed but larger-than-life figures, When Lions Roar explores the “special relationship” between the Churchills and Kennedys, and between Great Britain and the United States, highlighting all of its emotional complexity and historic significance.