Type of bind: Paperback
EAN num: 9780470035375
Format: Import
ISBN number: 0470035374
Label: Wiley John + Sons
Manufacturer: Wiley John + Sons
Page Count: 384
Printing Date: October 31, 2006
Publishing house: Wiley John + Sons
Sale Popularity Level: 3002289
Studio: Wiley John + Sons
User popularity level:
Rated by buyers -
About two-thirds of this book is the same as Rugby for Dummies, which is subtitled "The official guide to Rugby in North America". The two books share an author (Greg Crowden), and many of the photographs, diagrams, drawings, and narrative is the same. Which is fine--Rugby for Dummies is an excellent introduction to a complex game. Rugby Union for Dummies omits the sections on the greatest North American players, the college scene, etc, and concentrates more on the professional side. You'll see pages on the All-Blacks Haka, for example, in Rugby Union for Dummies that are not in the North American version.
There's a dizzying array of overlapping professional rugby leagues in the world, made even more complex by the idea that a player--let's call him Smith--might play professionally for England in the Six Nations tournament, might play in a league, might play for the British Lions touring team, and the Barbarians, and more, all in the same year. It's not quite as confusing as if Smith played for the Dallas Cowboys Sunday afternoon, for the Bills in the Tuesday night game, then again with Dallas the subsequent Sunday--but it does take getting used to.
There are differences in the game. You won't find the "Sin-Bin" in Rugby for Dummies, but you will in Rugby Union for Dummies--this is like a penalty box in hockey. Ditto the "Blood Bin". If you're new to the game, and may be playing rugby, there are things to watch out for. Rugby is NOT American football (which derived from rugby). Padding, etc, is minimal, and if you try to use football equipment, almost certainly illegal. The books say that in tackling "keep your head aimed to the side of your opponent's body"--use your brain, not your head! The son of a friend of mine got permanently paralyzed at age about 20 in his very first and only game of rugby. Also, as noted--some of the rules (such as offsides, can be very confusing--even for veteran players. These books will help. An interesting sport, and some well-written books to help you understand it.
Find other books like this one:
