Richie McCaw The Open Side

Richie McCaw The Open Side

Author: Greg McGee

Publisher: Hachette UK

Published: 2012-10-09

Total Pages: 249

ISBN-13: 1869712978

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A player like Richie McCaw comes along once in a lifetime... The Open Side will define that player. Rarely has a New Zealand biography been so eagerly anticipated. Superbly crafted, brilliantly insightful, and set to inspire people for generations to come. From the time his father told him as a child that ‘he would enjoy his rugby more if he got fitter’, Richard Hugh McCaw never looked back. Captain of the All Blacks since 2006, he is the face of rugby in New Zealand and one of our best-known and most admired figures. He has been named International Player of the Year three times and is considered the greatest player of his generation, and quite possibly the finest loose forward of all time. But what do we know of Richie the person and what drives him? In The Open Side, he reveals his passions and motivations, on and off the field. Teamed with Greg McGee, one of our great contemporary writers — and a man who himself is no stranger to rugby culture — the two have produced an outstanding book. The Open Side delves into the inner McCaw, the defining events and people in his life, as well as providing insight into the modern game and its professional players and coaches — including frank comment on the Deans–Henry debate. Richie’s leadership has had a huge impact on the team, and The Open Side traces his rise from fresh-faced Under 19 squad member in 1999 to hardened 100-cap veteran in 2011. As a participant in three Rugby World Cups, Richie describes the agony of defeat in 2007, and the four years of ‘living in a tunnel’ before clawing his way to ‘the light’ of a dramatic victory with the All Blacks in the 2011 final.


The Real McCaw

The Real McCaw

Author: Richie McCaw

Publisher: Aurum

Published: 2012-11-08

Total Pages: 272

ISBN-13: 1781310912

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Richie McCaw, Rugby World Cup winning captain and the New Zealand All Black's most capped player of all time, is unquestionably the greatest player of his generation. He is arguably the most talented player of all time. In his bestselling autobiography, McCaw talks with brutal honesty about the roots of his family life that defined his character and how it gave him the strength to emerge from the lowest moment in his career to lift the Webb Ellis Cup, and become the most successful captain world rugby has ever seen. As he prepares to become the first captain to successfully defend the World Cup, McCaw has set the standard of what a professional rugby player should be. Hugely popular and respected, his sheer presence means that he is a natural leader both on and off the pitch and his story is not just a brutal account of life on the front line, but an exhilarating portrait of modern rugby.


Foreskin's Lament

Foreskin's Lament

Author: Greg McGee

Publisher: Victoria University Press

Published: 1981

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 9780864730312

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

One of the most successful and well-known New Zealand plays is also compelling reading on the page. The power, humour and irony of the language all serve to illustrate a penetrating analysis of New Zealand society, as seen through the lens of sport.


The Jersey

The Jersey

Author: Peter Bills

Publisher: Pan Macmillan

Published: 2018-08-09

Total Pages: 515

ISBN-13: 1509856692

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The phenomenal international number one bestseller with exclusive interviews with Richie McCaw, Steve Hansen, Beauden Barrett and Dan Carter, The Jersey is the definitive story behind the greatest sports team on the planet. ‘Extremely well written. Compelling, accurate, insightful and brilliant in the way it captures the New Zealand way’ – John Hart, former All Blacks coach. With a better winning record than any other sports team in history, they stand head and shoulders above their nearest rugby rivals. How did a country of just 4.8 million people conquer the world? Peter Bills, who has reported on international rugby for more than forty years, was given exclusive access to all the key figures in New Zealand rugby as he set out to understand the secrets behind the All Blacks success. Peter talked at length with ninety people, both in New Zealand and around the world, with intimate knowledge of what makes the All Blacks tick. The Jersey goes to the heart of the All Blacks success. It is also an epic story of not just a rugby team but a nation, whose identities are inextricably linked.


Shelter

Shelter

Author: Jung Yun

Publisher: Picador

Published: 2016-05-31

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 1925479595

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

A masterfully crafted debut novel that asks what it means to provide for one's family and, in answer, delivers a story as riveting as it is profound. "Gripping" New York Times "A marvel of skill and execution" LA Times Why should a man care for his parents when they failed to take care of him as a child? Kyung Cho owns a house that he can't afford. His credit cards and student loan debts are spiralling out of control. Despite his promising career as a tenure-track professor, Kyung and his wife, Gillian, have always lived beyond their means. Now, their bad decisions are catching up with them, and Kyung is worried for his family's future. A few miles away, Kyung's parents, Jin and Mae, live in the town's most exclusive neighbourhood, surrounded by the material comforts that Kyung wants so badly for his wife and son. His own childhood, however, was far from comfortable - growing up, Kyung enjoyed every imaginable privilege, but never kindness or affection. He can hardly bear to see his parents, much less ask them for help. Yet when an act of violence leaves Jin and Mae unable to live on their own, the dynamic suddenly changes, and he decides to take them in. As the safe distance between them collapses, Kyung is forced to question what it means to be a good husband, father and son, while the life he knew begins to crumble and his own anger demands to be released. As Shelter veers swiftly towards its startling conclusion, Jung Yun leads us through dark and violent territory, where, unexpectedly, the Chos discover hope. MORE PRAISE FOR SHELTER "Yun explores the powerful legacy of family violence ... This family drama [is] rife with tension and unexpected ironies" Publishers Weekly "This work should find itself on best-of lists, among major award nominations, and in eager readers' hands everywhere" Library Journal "A powerful debut, full of thrills, secrets waiting to be discovered, and lies unwrapped" LA Review of Books "A fluidly written debut novel that explores violence and its effects on one immigrant family ... [A] layered, sometimes surprising debut" Kirkus


Legacy

Legacy

Author: James Kerr

Publisher: Constable

Published: 2013-11-07

Total Pages: 153

ISBN-13: 1472104900

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION Champions do extra. They sweep the sheds. They follow the spearhead. They keep a blue head. They are good ancestors. In Legacy, best-selling author James Kerr goes deep into the heart of the world's most successful sporting team, the legendary All Blacks of New Zealand, to reveal 15 powerful and practical lessons for leadership and business. Legacy is a unique, inspiring handbook for leaders in all fields, and asks: What are the secrets of success - sustained success? How do you achieve world-class standards, day after day, week after week, year after year? How do you handle pressure? How do you train to win at the highest level? What do you leave behind you after you're gone? What will be your legacy?


The Grade Cricketer

The Grade Cricketer

Author: Dave Edwards

Publisher: Melbourne Books

Published: 2018-09-01

Total Pages: 218

ISBN-13: 1922129895

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Welcome to the world of The Grade Cricketer. Described as the most original voice in cricket, The Grade Cricketer represents the fading hopes and dreams of every ageing amateur sportsman. In this tell-all 'autobiography', The Grade Cricketer describes his cricketing career with unflinching honesty and plenty of humour, in turn providing insights into the hyper-masculine cricket 'dressing room'. This one-time junior prodigy is now experiencing the lean, increasingly existential years of adult cricket. Here, he learns quickly that one will need more than just runs and wickets to make it in the alpha-dominated grade cricket jungle, where blokes like Nuggsy, Bruiser, Deeks and Robbo reign supreme. Through it all, The Grade Cricketer lays bare his deepest insecurities - his relationship with Dad, his fleeting romances outside the cricket club - and, in turn, we witness a gentle maturation; a slow realisation that perhaps, just maybe, there is more to life than hitting 50 not out in third grade and enjoying a few celebratory beers afterwards. Or is there? * * * The Grade Cricketer book is based upon the popular Twitter account, @gradecricketer, which has received critical acclaim for its frighteningly honest portrayal of amateur cricket. Now, the time has finally come for this middling amateur sportsman to tell his story in full. 'The Grade Cricketer is the finest tribute to a sport since Nick Hornby's Fever Pitch, and the best cricket book in yonks. It's belly-laughing funny but it's also a hymn to the grand and complex game delivered with a narrative pace and ability I'm afraid most Test players don't have. For anyone who ever dreamed of excelling at a sport but never quite made it but still gave it your life, this is the story. A great read!' - Tom Keneally AO.


Sonny Bill Williams

Sonny Bill Williams

Author: Sonny Bill Williams

Publisher: Hachette UK

Published: 2021-10-13

Total Pages: 304

ISBN-13: 0733647413

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Sonny Bill Williams (SBW) is a once in a hundred-year athlete with immense sporting talent in Rugby League, Rugby Union and Boxing. Sonny Bill has built an incredible career and sporting reputation across the globe. His athleticism has taken him from inner-city Auckland, where he grew up, to the highest sporting moments in Twickenham, Eden Park and Sydney's Olympic Stadium. But there is so much more to Sonny Bill Williams' life and journey than his on-field and in-the-ring triumphs. Sonny Bill's love of family, his faith, his skill and performance throughout his unparalleled sporting career, his ability to unite a team under pressure, his grace in owning his mistakes, the challenges of leaving home as a young man and dealing with a negative culture and the temptations that followed, and his courage in speaking out for the vulnerable and calling out injustice are all aspects of an inspiring life story. Sonny Bill Williams was the first Muslim to play for the All Blacks. Driven by a fierce moral compass, Sonny Bill Williams thoughtfully and authentically uses his standing and platform as both a UNICEF Ambassador and an elite sportsperson to speak out on political issues that confront the world today and to benefit those struggling in life. He is a dedicated family man, devoted to his faith, committed to his teammates, respectful of his fans and aware that the path he has taken can inspire and empower others. Working with Alan Duff, award-winning author of Once Were Warriors, this will be the must-read autobiography of the year.


Dan Carter

Dan Carter

Author: Dan Carter

Publisher:

Published: 2015-11-12

Total Pages: 336

ISBN-13: 9781472228956

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

My Autobiography is the up-close-and-personal memoir of a global icon of sport, a country boy who went on to become rugby's world superstar. Daniel William Carter is acknowledged as the greatest fly-half to have played international rugby. A veteran of more than 100 Test matches, he is the world record holder for most Test points, has twice been named the IRB's Player of the Year and twice named New Zealand Player of the Year. Legendary unbeaten All Blacks coach, Sir Fred Allen, who followed international rugby from the 1920s until after the 2011 Rugby World Cup, had no hesitation in naming Carter as the greatest fly-half he ever saw. Carter, though, is renowned for his modesty and unassuming nature, and argues that he has he always 'just tried to do the best job I can for the All Blacks'. In My Autobiography, the great All Blacks pivot with the model good looks opens up for the first time about his stellar 12-year career. He looks back on the myriad highs, including that virtuoso performance against the Lions in the second Test of the 2005 series when he scored a record 33 points. (The Guardian described the performance as 'the definitive fly-half display of the modern era.') With an equal measure of honesty, he reflects on the lows of his career, speaking frankly of the mental anguish he felt after twice being invalided out of Rugby World Cups. He also talks about his unflinching loyalty to the famous black jersey and the reasons why he elected to make a long-term commitment to New Zealand.