Product Description

Shortly after 11 a.m. on Saturday, 22 November 2003, a young man from Surrey half-volleyed an oval ball over a Sydney crossbar and sparked something truly extraordinary. Having long been the bridesmaid, English rugby became, temporarily at least, the nation's favourite sport. A fortnight later, almost a million people flooded the streets of London to celebrate with their new-found heroes. The road ahead, however, would prove to be riddled with potential potholes. Against this background of triumph and celebration, Mick Collins spoke to players who had helped win the Webb Ellis Trophy on that dramatic day in Sydney and at length to the coach who planned its capture. He met the fans who cheered them on and talked to lesser, more cheerfully humble, players - those who dream of becoming the stars of the future and those who have accepted that such achievements are not to be. From the day of the World Cup Final after which, so the pundits claimed, rugby was going to become bigger than ever before, Collins immersed himself in the game and its people. He looked around for evidence of this prediction and spoke to those involved in making it come true. As if to confirm the cyclical nature of sport, the journey culminates back 'down under' in June 2004 as Woodward takes his men back to the scene of their triumph, in an attempt to re-assert their authority over both the Wallabies and the All Blacks. Chasing the Chariot tells the story of an unprecedented period in English rugby, offering a picture of all levels of the game at a time of huge and dramatic change. The influence and effects of Woodward's planning and preparation have been far reaching, and from inner-city housing estates to public-school playing fields, enthusiastic youngsters to the world's most capped player, Collins discovered that this iconic figure's legacy to the game looks set to run on, long after his departure to take on new challenges.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #443013 in Books
• Published on: 2004-11-04
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 224 pages

About the Author
Mick Collins is a freelance journalist whose writing has featured in a number of national newspapers. He is the author of The Rise and Rise of Charlton Athletic and lives in South East London with his wife and two daughters.

Customer Reviews

Highly recommended
I am 53 years old, in desperate need of losing a bit of weight and still remember my rugby playing days as if they were yesterday, occasionally convincing myself that I could still turn out for my local side if asked. Having found myself browsing through Sportspages recently, I happened across this book, and intrigued by mention of Guy's Hospital, who I last played against more than 20 years ago, I bought a copy.

With a huge pile of work to do, I set it aside intending to read it later, when I had time, first flicking through, just to wet my appetite. By the time I put it down, it was long past midnight, and I cannot remember the last time a book captured my imagination to such a degree.

Collins has managed to tap into the heart and soul of rugby, dragging to the surface the bits of the game we all loved and enjoyed, but had never managed to explain quite so eloquently. The chapters on Guy's and the Six Nations are just wonderful, and left me laughing out loud time and again. Nobody I have read has ever managed to convey the excitement and the fun of a Twickenham match day quite so well.

The serious comments, about the future of the game, and in particular the resignation of Woodward are well made and beautifully expressed, and the balanced way in which the RFU is analysed is fascinating. The addition of a revealing interview with Woodward and a fantastic chapter-long conversation with Jason Leonard are brilliant touches.

This is a book full of humour and affection, yet for the opening chapter alone, telling of a drunken morning watching the World Cup final, this deserves to be a huge success. Nobody who was there, watching in a pub, can fail to laugh at the images Collins describes, because they are so familiar and so well detailed.

For those who played, those who watched, and everyone who ever enjoyed a sports book that is genuinely uplifting and laugh out loud funny, this is a must. As for his description of sitting alone in the Twickenham press box in the midst of a gale, he may well be mad, but it made me laugh more than anything I can remember reading for a very long time.

Highly Recommended
It is obvious from the opening pages of this book that the author has a real passion for his subject. This is a book that any rugby fan should read - be they new followers of the game as a result of November 2003 or people who have grown up with rugby in their blood!

This is a rollercoaster ride following Mick Collins from that November morning in the pub, through to training with new players in the inner city, the pure enjoyment of the players at the oldest club and then the sudden resignation of Clive Woodward.

The book is written with passion and humour and I highly recommend it to anyone who loves the game.

Chasing the Chariot
Chasing the Chariot is a simply fantastic book. It will appeal as much as to experienced rugby fans as it will to new fans who are looking to understand some of the history and spirit of the game. On his journey through the back waters of World Cup success Mick Collins meets a whole range of interesting people all of whom share a passion for the game, and are undeniably committed to rugby's future prosperity. It's a great read and one that lets us explore the further reaches of our beautiful game whilst laughing at Mick's canny observations for the entire journey