The first black Springboks captain, his immense athleticism and talent on the pitch is outshone by his unifying force off it. Kolisi’s journey from an impoverished Eastern Cape township to captaining the world champions transcends rugby. Siya Kolisi: Rise, published by HarperCollins The book delves into his innermost emotions and addresses the notion that his game regressed in order to fit a one-dimensional Welsh style of play. The “intriguing contradiction” that is Jamie Roberts, a 6ft 4in, 17st slab of rippling muscle who smashed into opponents for Wales and the Lions, yet a thoughtful and mild-mannered man who qualified as a doctor. Jamie Roberts: Centre Stage, published by Hodder & Stoughton Head down, no eye contact and lift your elbows.” Super stuff. It’s the same line you run when getting to the train doors. For example, to subtly obstruct a potential tackler, “just think of the 6.30pm train out of London Paddington. RW readers will be familiar with Paul Williams’s online witticism and now he turns his attention in print to the nuances of rugby’s laws.

Rugby Has F***ing Laws Not Rules published by Polaris A decorated player and a colourful character – a winning combination. The latter incident almost cost him a place at RWC 2011, when the scrum-half excelled as Wales came within a whisker of the final. Walesonline for one have got full value out of Phillips’s no-holds-barred revelations, with his break-up with Duffy and his scrape with a bouncer two tales related. Mike Phillips: Half Truths, published by Reach Sport The tragedy of killing a boy in a car accident, and the excessive drinking that incident provoked, is another heart-wrenching subject explored in this compelling read. The former Ireland captain elaborates on the extraordinary chain of events that saw him imprisoned in Argentina for stealing a flag during a 1980 Penguins tour. Willie Anderson: Crossing the Line, published by Reach Sport Crammed full of funny stories, below-the-belt banter and amusing observations, it’s presented in the form of a conversation, along the lines of their broadcasting double act.

Here are the best rugby books of 2021, and scroll further down to see top titles from 2020… Best Rugby Books 2021 Flats and Durders: Offload, published by Simon & Schusterįans were up in arms when their Channel 5 Premiership highlights show went off air, but now you can enjoy Dave Flatman and Mark Durden-Smith in print. But there’s a feast of other material available.

Star-name autobiographies perennially feature heavily in rugby publishing and there have been some crackers of late.

7 days to die barbed wire