South Africa is a land of contrasts, as the tourist brochures promise, and this is true for the game of rugby. From the Pretoria heartland to the aspirant Eastern Cape, from the hardscrabble Cape Flats to the islands of privilege at Bishops and Grey College. No other rugby-playing nation has to grapple with so much diversity. Different languages, classes, races and cultures - each bearing the wounds of the country's fractured past - have to be melded into winning teams. Liz McGregor has spent the past three years shadowing Currie Cup, Super 14 and Springbok teams across the country, and has come to the conclusion that it is this very diversity, combined with the pain of the past and the dreams of a great united future, that provide the elusive alchemy that separates a good team from a great one. Touch, Pause, Engage! is more than a book about rugby. It is an intimate look at how South Africa's erstwhile elite is adapting to its new circumstances. Team South Africa has been through many a maul and bruising scrum, but is inching closer and closer to the tryline. Liz McGregor is a veteran author and journalist who started off her career on leading South African newspapers and subsequently moved to Britain where she worked for the Guardian for several years. Her first book, Khabzela: The Life and Times of a South African, laid bare the complex reasoning behind a DJ's refusal to take medication to stave off AIDS. She has co-edited and contributed to two collections of essays: At Risk and Load-shedding.

On the eve of one of the most important games of his career, Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas received a warning: The Sun newspaper was going to ‘out’ him as gay.This is the story of two Welsh names bruised, but not beaten, by media speculation: Gareth ‘Alfie’ Thomas,100 caps for Wales, now one of the world’s most prominent gay sportsmen; and his hometown,Bridgend, itself a victim of tabloid intrusion following the deaths ofseveral young residents.Working with Alfie himself, and young people in Bridgend, Robin Soans joins forces with some of the UK’s most exciting theatre companies to tell a great story about sport, politics, secrets, life and learning to be yourself.

Understand the fundamentals of digital marketing and enhance your digital marketing practice with the new edition of this essential guide, now one of the bestselling books in the industry and required reading for more than 100 universities and colleges, including Harvard University and the Chartered Institute of Marketing. The world of digital media is changing at a phenomenal pace. Constantly evolving technologies are transforming not just how we access our information but how we interact and communicate with one another on a global scale. Understanding Digital Marketing is a practical, no-nonsense guide to digital marketing, the rules of new media and understanding the behaviours of the new generation of digital consumers. Thoroughly revised, this fourth edition features more information, fresh examples and case studies, and in-depth insider accounts of the latest developments in the industry from internationally recognized brands and digital marketing campaigns. Clear, informative and entertaining, this book covers key topics such as search marketing, social media, Google, mobile marketing, affiliate marketing, email marketing, performance marketing, customer engagement and digital marketing strategies, making it essential reading for both practitioners and students alike. Online resources include bonus chapters, contributor views, and case studies on Kwik Fit, Battersea Dogs Home and Yves Saint Laurent.

As a history, a technical manual, a practical guideline of the rugby scrum, and a great coaching tool for teachers and coaches of all levels, Rugby—The Art of Scrummaging is one of the most comprehensive rugby scrum theses ever assembled and published since the inception of rugby union. Rugby—The Art of Scrummaging contains many ideas and recommendations for coaches that will allow them to produce players who understand the necessary skills, thereby increasing their enjoyment through higher efficiency. That higher efficiency will also make their involvement in the scrum much safer, something that has been at the centre of this project’s focus. For coaches to teach well they have to be properly taught themselves, and the advice of all the scrummaging luminaries associated with this work will help them. Rugby—The Art of Scrummaging also presents many ideas on what might lead to better and safer scrum laws and better officiating. It does not include definitive recommendations on these two subjects, but provides a bank of information that should assist in any future reviews.

In rugby, there are the Flash Harrys and the Glory Boys: the fly-halves who run, kick and dazzle; the scrum-halves who nip and dart; the wingers who step and glide. These are the players who get the crowd on their feet, who set stadiums abuzz. But they only get to do these things because other, less glorified figures do all of the donkey work. Adam Jones is one such figure. And for a decade he was one of the world's best. On many occasions when George North or Shane Williams were careering under the posts to score a try, and the crowd was engulfed in rapturous joy, Adam Jones would be hauling himself up from the turf, spitting blood and mud, and massaging his aching neck. He hadn't scored the try; but more often than not it was his graft and strength which had made it. This is the story of 'Bomb': the self-effacing manual labourer from the Swansea Valley who traded laying paving slabs for running out in some of the world's most imposing sporting citadels. He rose to the pinnacle of his sport, winning virtually everything there was to be won: Grand Slams, Six Nations Championships, Lions tours, Pro12 titles. In a nation of rugby heroes, Adam Jones has become a legend. Only six Welshmen can say they've won three Grand Slams. He is one of them: not just as a bit-part player, but as the beating heart of the most successful squad in Welsh rugby history. His was one of the first names on the team sheet. He was - literally and metaphorically - the cornerstone of this Welsh side. In his autobiography, Jones reveals exactly what goes on in the murky depths of the front row: the tricks, the techniques, the physical and psychological warfare; and the mental fortitude it takes to endure in one of the hardest positions, in one of the world's toughest contact sports.

Blending simple physics with anecdotes from the world of rugby, this informative reference demonstrates how to improve rugby techniques. Tackling, passing, running, and kicking are analyzed from a scientific perspective, incorporating Newton’s Laws, and then discussed in the wider context of the game. This valuable guide will not only instruct but also entertain sports-oriented students of all levels.

Coaches, practitioners and medical staff working in the worldwide sport of rugby will frequently apply scientific principles to their programmes to inform the practice, performance, health, well-being and development of their athletes. This book explores the scientific principles underpinning the preparation and management of rugby players in both codes and modified versions of the sport. Applied examples are also provided throughout to understand the practical application of the material in a real-world context. This new edition of The Science of Rugby offers a significant contribution to the field of rugby science that will act as a useful resource to scientists, coaches, practitioners and students interested in rugby. New chapters and key topics include: Physical and psychological preparation for rugby Planning and monitoring of training Managing fatigue, recovery and nutrition Effects of different environmental conditions and travel on performance The mechanics of rugby techniques and injury Young players and talent identification Considerations for training the female rugby player Modified rugby, including rugby sevens, touch, tag and wheelchair rugby No other book bridges the gap between theory and applied practice in rugby, from grass roots to elite international standard, and therefore this is essential reading for any student, researcher, sport scientist, coach, physiotherapist or clinician with an interest in the game.

Written and endorsed by the RFU coach development team based at Twickenham, this book takes every position in the 15-a-side rugby union team and gives a series of specific drills, practice sessions and tips for coaching players to perform their unique duties. From high-ball drills for full-backs to mauling sessions for the front row, this is the first book that isolates and teaches the skills required of each position on the field. The RFU coach development team, comprised of eight positional coaches, is at the forefront of the worldwide development of coaching best practice. Each drill and session is fully supported by line drawings, photographs and guidance on coaching.

As the commercialization of sport grows, the need for proper regulation increases. In legal terms, sport is part of the entertainment and media industries which are subject to rapid change. This work brings together experts in many fields to analyze these changes and to discuss the implications of issues such as the BSkyB-Manchester United case, civil and criminal actions on the playing field, the "Bosman" ruling, drugs in sport, the legality of boxing and the validity of decisions made by governing bodies. This collection should appeal to students of both sports history and sports sociology.