Overview

Imagine a Springbok as a finished product coming off a factory assembly line. What are the components required? And what does it take for them to cohere into a successful team? Author Liz McGregor spent two years behind the scenes interviewing the players, coaches, wives and girlfriends, mothers and teachers. She also spoke to the Bok doctor and physiotherapist, the sponsors, brand managers and the logistics guy. And then theres the boss, the South African Rugby Union. What she discovered is as fascinating as it is complex: that parents play a crucial role, as do those early coaches and teachers who identify and nurture talent; that injury lurks behind every corner; that it takes incredible courage to go back onto the field to face another battering; and that the business of the Springboks is one that is both well and poorly managed, depending where you look. By the end of her journey, McGregor had developed a deep regard for the players and many of the people who work to put the best team South Africa can offer onto the field. Nelson Mandela showed how a Springbok team can unite a nation. But there are parts of the Springbok Factory that are in urgent need of repair or, indeed, replacement.

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9781868424696

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This is the best, most insightful, book on Springbok rugby I have ever read. -- John Dobson, Western Province rugby coach A must-read for any true rugby supporter. -- Nick Mallett

Author Information

Liz McGregor is a veteran author and journalist who started off her career on leading South African newspapers including the Sunday Times and the Rand Daily Mail. Her other books are Touch, Pause, Engage! Exploring the Heart of South African Rugby, Khabzela: The Life and Times of a South African and she is the co-editor of At Risk: Writing On and Over the Edge of South Africa and Load Shedding.

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