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The British Sports Book Awards, encompassing the best in British and Irish sports literature over the past 12 months, take place in London on 9 May. Six titles are competing for the rugby gong…

The Grudge – Tom English

Yellow Jersey

£12.99

Tom English’s stunning account of the politically charged tensions surrounding the 1990 Calcutta Cup, when the Scots sent England packing in an acrimonious Grand Slam shoot-out. Magnificent and mischievous.

Beware of the Dog – Brian Moore

Simon & Schuster

£17.99

A startling autobiography from the outspoken former England hooker, with sexual abuse and adoption heartache punctuating Moore’s colourful rugby life. Hugely powerful and already fêted having won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award last autumn.

The Rugby Coaching Manual – Keith Richardson

£18.99

Rugby coaching demystified. Richardson grabs teaching by the short and curlies with a no-nonsense approach gleaned from his years as Gloucester’s head coach. Excellent technical advice from the front line pitched at coaches just below pro level.

Blue Blood – The Bernard Jackman Autobiography

Irish Sports Publishing

£17

The former Ireland hooker lifts the lid on concussion, training ground bust-ups and Leinster-Munster hostilities. A riveting journey through the 2009-10 season that proved the end of the line for the patched-up Jackman.

The Iron Duke – Bobby Windsor

Mainstream

£16.99

Read it and weep. Peter Jackson’s emotive tale of Lions legend Windsor – the third hooker on the shortlist. The Welshman’s hardness on the pitch was matched by depression and insecurity off it. Fabulous anecdotes from the amateur era.

Previous Winners:

  • 2008 Ripley’s World: The Rugby Icon’s Ultimate Victory Over Cancer. Mainstream, £17.99
  • 2009 Seeing Red: Twelve Tumultuous Years in Welsh Rugby. Mainstream, £16.99
  • 2010 Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary. Ebury Press, £7.99

WIN THE LOT

Fancy seeing for yourself what the fuss is about? You could win all six books in this month’s competition. For a chance to be one of our six winners, tell us:

Which World Cup-winning coach wrote a book called Winning?
Mark your entry ‘Six of the Best’ and email your answer by Mon 9 May to rugbyworldcompetitions@ipcmedia.com or write to our address. DON’T FORGET TO LEAVE A PHONE NUMBER…

This article appeared in the May 2011 issue of Rugby World Magazine.

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