Top 5 Rugby Books

What are the most popular rugby books?

1. Winning
2. Total Rugby
3. Jonah Lomu: The Autobiography
4. Think Rugby
5. Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary

1. Winning

Winning by Clive Woodward is seen as one of the best rugby books of all time, and many players and coaches love to read a book with such a success story. This book, at the number one spot on our list, is about Clive Woodward, the World Cup winning Coach for England, who wrote this guide about how he built England into a rugby powerhouse with much success. Woodward describes how he put his experience in business management to the test when beginning to coach the team. This book describes the many challenges of the business of coaching rugby and is awesome for anybody interested in being a coach.

2. Total Rugby

Total Rugby by Jim Greenwood is another rugby book that teaches its readers so much about the rich history and technique of the game. This book is all about the fundamentals of rugby and the book is written with so much detail that it is hard for the reader to even come up with questions that haven’t been answered. This book can help any player when learning about the techniques behind the game of rugby. Known as the bible of rugby, this book teaches all rugby fundamentals from kicking to tackling and passing.

3. Jonah Lomu: The Autobiography

Jonah Lomu is considered one of the best rugby players to ever step foot on the pitch, and many players and coaches from around the world are constantly talking about his unique playing style and fierce competition that he brought to the game. Jonah Lomu: The Autobiography is written in a very humble tone and tells the struggles of growing up and what it is like to be an athlete with a debilitating kidney disease. This is a great story about one the greatest superstars in the sport of rugby, teaching its readers about commitment and dedication to the sport. 

4. Think Rugby

Jim Greenwood is again on our list for a second time with this book, Think Rugby. This book is the follow up to his book Total Rugby. In this book, Greenwood gives step by step instructions on how to build a rugby team playing system and how to make it work for your team. This book dives deep into the mechanics of the game that makes teams successful. It is a good book for both coaches and players who want to learn more about the many strategies of rugby that allow teams to have success.

5. Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary

Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary by John Daniell is a true story, and is about New Zealander John Daniell and his adventures into becoming a professional rugby player. John Daniell was not a star in the sport of rugby, but in the book, he describes what it is like to be a role player and how doing the small things right can make the team better. This story tells a lot about the business side of what it is like being a rugby professional.