Alan Tait made sporting history in 1997 when, after spending eight years in the north of England with Widnes and Leeds, he became the first former professional rugby league player to return to Scottish international rugby union. Once back in union with Rob Andrew's Newcastle falcons, Tait used his international recall as a springboard to tour with the British Lions, a set-up he found riddled with xenophobia and selectorial bias. Tait is one of the most colourful sportsmen of his generation and in Rugby Rebel he tells his remarkable story in typically forthright fashion.

Rugby Rebel investigates a sensational accusation made against brilliant All Black winger Duncan McGregor that he sold team secrets which cost the Original All Blacks their unbeaten record on the famous 1905 tour of Britain, France and the United States. What made it worse was that McGregor's Accusers were some of his fellow All Blacks. But has his name been unfairly besmirched? This book tells McGregor's extraordinary and previously untold story. In doing so, it delves deeply into an explosive and controversial period in New Zealand rugby history, the early 1900s, when 'shamateurism' was rife and the sport was split apart by the emergence of rugby league. Rugby Rebel shatters myths, offers new insights and provides enough information for the reader to decide whether McGregor was hero, or as his deractors claimed, villain.

Eoin Madden’s having a busy term with friend issues, schoolwork and new rugby challenges; he’s been moved up to train with the Junior Cup team, which is hard work, plus there’s trouble in his dormitory as mobile phones start going missing! But as usual there are ghostly goings-on in Castlerock school – what’s the link between Eoin’s history lessons and the new spirit he’s spotted wearing a Belvedere rugby jersey? ... Historical and modern mysteries combine in this intriguing tale of rugby, rebellion and ghosts. 'Beautifully crafted by Siggins, this is a book that will thrill any rugby-mad youngster while delighting sports fans (of any age) with an interest in entertaining storytelling.' Irish Daily Mail on Rugby Warrior

Conventional historical and political analyses of South Africa have frequently neglected the vital role of sport in general, and rugby in particular. This book fills the gap through a critical interpretation of rugby's role in the development of white society, its role in shaping significant social divisions, and its centrality to the apartheid era "power elite".

In 1992 Mark Geyer lost his best mate in a car accident and the subject of much of this story is how that changed his life. Each chapter looks at a vital and controversial part of the star's life and portrays a rebel who was determined to take on all who challenged him and his football beliefs. He tells his story with drama and colour and brings to life many of the influential people in his Rugby career. Includes a chronological sporting record.

This multivolume set is much more than a collection of essays on sports and sporting cultures from around the world: it also details how and why sports are played wherever they exist, and examines key charismatic athletes from around the world who have transcended their sports. • Nearly 900 entries cover most aspects of sport from around the world • Contributions from more than 200 distinguished scholars, such as Mark Dyreson, Henning Eichberg, Malcolm MacLean, S.W. Pope, and Rob Ruck • Entries on players, stadiums, arenas, famous games and matches, major scandals, and disasters • Lists of Olympic medalists for all events since 1896 as well as lists of winners of major events such as the FIFA World Cup and MLB World Series • Further reading selections provide direction for in-depth analysis of each event, sport, personality, or issue discussed