Confessions of a Rugby Mercenary

"This is quite a recent book, and it represents the genre of player biography. A large part of sports books output is player biography and autobiography. John Daniell wrote this himself, and it’s good because he’s a star player but not a superstar player. He wasn’t an international. It’s an authentic picture of what it’s like on the inside now to be a professional rugby player, just below the top level. You get insight you wouldn’t get from the six star players who are treated in a special way to offset the obstacles of their life. It’s fantastically honest and very well-written. It’s about how professionalism has meant that the players can play with their personal pride intact, but it has compromised team spirit – and there’s an inevitable selfishness in the way that professional players need to approach the game in order to earn a living. It’s almost certainly a Welshman. You pick between three or four. I think it probably has to be Gareth Edwards."