The Men in the Arena
England, Australia and the Battle for the 2003 Rugby World Cup
Tom English author Peter Burns author
Format:Hardback
Publisher:Polaris Publishing Limited
Published:3rd Aug '23
Should be back in stock very soon
The ultimate World Cup showdown, in the words of those who were there. Shortlisted for the Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year.
From 1997 to 2003 England and Australia battled for domination of the rugby world in one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever known. In The Men in the Arena, William Hill shortlisted authors Peter Burns and Tom English explore every aspect of the teams’ journey to the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, telling the story primarily in the words of the protagonists at the centre of the battle.
Featuring exclusive new interviews with players and coaches from both teams plus an array of superstars who faced them from New Zealand, Ireland, France, Wales and beyond, this is the inside story like it has never been told before.
'A splendid re-telling of English rugby's most celebrated story. Cracking stuff from start to finish' - Robert Kiston, The Guardian
'Highly recommended, a deep dive into one of the best-known rivalries between two rugby nations when both were at the peak of their powers. Great stuff. A fantastic, exciting read'
-- Rob Robertson * Daily Mail *'A splendid re-telling of English rugby’s most celebrated story. Cracking stuff from start to finish'
-- Robert Kitson * The Guardian *'Sensational. For those who screamed and celebrated in 2003, this book is as good as it gets'
-- Alex Payne * The Good, the Bad and the Rugby *'A brilliant book'
-- Chris Jones * BBC Sport *'Another absolute classic'
-- Paul Will- Short-listed for Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year 2024
ISBN: 9781915359155
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 657g
320 pages