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KEATING**, FRANK - Foreword by Barry John: : THE GREAT NUMBER TENS: A Century of Rugby's Pivots and Playmakers

LONDON.PARTRIDGE PRESS/TRANSWORLD PUBLISHERS,1993.

ISBN 1852251921.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.FINE+/FINE+.No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright, crisp,clean,glossy laminated,colour photographic illustrated dw/dj,with b/w and grey lettering; with negligible shelf-wear and creasing to edges and corners - no nicks or tears present.Top+fore -edges generally bright and clean; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corners,would appear unread apart from my own collation.Bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, publisher's original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt letters to spine/ backstrip and immaculate plain white endpapers. UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,2-271pp [paginated] includes author preface,13 chapters,profuse contemporary b/w photographs interspersed throughout the text and the book,an appendix and an index.Plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,a dedication,contents list/table,Barry John foreword and 6pp blanks at rear. The game of Rugby Union first took on a wholly indentifiable modern shape exactly a century ago (then 1993).In 1893 a New Zealand team played its first matches under the banner of its newly formed union; in the same year,the referee was deemed a game's sole arbiter; in 1894 points values were consolidated to read as they do today; in 1896 the first British tour to South Africa was made - and in the middle 1890's the crucial position on the field,the fly-half, evolved out of the fledgling game's need for more organization,specialization. . .and drama. Since then,with ever more telling certainty,the fly-half has shaped not only every suceeding match,but the whole global game,to his singular personality. Astonishingly,no writer has ever linked the development of the fly-half with the evolution of the game itself - until now.This chronicle of international rugby's fly-halves almost reads like a slice of social history as it celebrates the centenary of their 'invention' by two bold little brothers and copper-ladlers from West Wales.'The Great Number Tens' delves into the lives (and tries,and tackles) and glamorous talents of such sporting innovators as HM Consul Percy Bush; Louis Magee,the Dublin vet who played in string gloves; Adrian Stoop,pukka public schoolboy; the sailor Dave Davies,and a rich pageant of others down the century - Waddell and Osler,Nicolls and Spong,Jones and Davies; Kyle and Morgan,Shaw and Shap; Ward, Campbell,Kirton,Burgess,Barnes and Bennett. . . Was Barry John the King? Or Mark Ella? Or John Rutherford? Did Naas Botha kick too much? Who settled the 1991 World Cup - Grant Fox,Rob Andrew or Michael Lynagh? And who will settle it in 1995? Frank Keating discusses all this and much more in his unique analysis of rugby's key position - the pivot and playmaker in the number ten shirt. Please contact seller,because of the weight and value of this item,for correct,insured shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! ** N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch, especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** This item offered P+p included.Offer available UK only,unless indicated otherwise. ** ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn.
Not SIGNED.

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