Product Description

John Daniell is a rubgy mercenary. A brutal word for an often brutal game. In 1996, when Rugby Union turned professional, John emigrated to France where he played for a decade in top competitions. His team ricocheted between fear and ecstasy, as they battled to save the club from relegation and their careers from the scrap heap. Now he lifts the lid on the dark world of the journeyman player, where losing a home game is considered a crime, coaches and club owners will do anything to win, and agents ruthlessly manipulate players. His compelling confessions are both shocking and funny, taking you behind the scenes, onto the field and into the very heart of the scrum.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3644 in Books
• Published on: 2009-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

About the Author
John Daniell is originally from New Zealand. When Rugby Union turned professional in 1996 he was one of the first players to emigrate to Europe. He spent over a decade playing in the top competitions in France, for his Montpellier team. He is now a freelance sports journalist, having also studied at Oxford. He lives in Paris and visits the UK frequently.

Customer Reviews

Confessions of a reader
John Daniell's book is by far the best 'inside story' about rugby that I have read to date. His journalistic skills make the writing interesting and easy to follow and his narrative clearly tells of the highs and lows of playing one of the most physical games. This is a fascinating read for rugby and non-rugby readers; although on balance I would suggest more suited to rugby followers.

This is an updated publication of the book, and whilst it is a couple of years old his comments still have great relevance to the game; especially when we now see so many UK players about to go to France to play rugby next season.

BrillIiant
A brilliant book, really takes you inside the mindset of French rugby, a great insight into a professional players thoughts, a real page turner

well worth a read !

Entertaining, and a very good read for anyone interested in rugby
I came to this book after reading one or two of the reviews on Amazon. It's a 'five star read' as far as I am concerned, and I think that all who follow rugby in whatever capacity will find it both entertaining and informative.
The fact that John Daniell is writing mostly in the capacity of someone who plied his trade as a professional rugby player in France should put no-one off. In fact should you be an avid supporter of any of the UK rugby teams, the fact that his points of reference are within the French set-up allows interesting comparison with the game in England in particular. It is enjoyable to compare the teams he has played for in France, particularly, Perpignan and Montpellier and play the game of spotting their equivalent in English rugby: could Montpellier be a bit like Bristol, without the scenery to match perhaps?
Anyway so far as this 'Glos' supporter is concerned, I finished the book in just a few sittings , and that's a rare event for me. So: in summary: Buy it, Read it and 'enjoy'!