Search results for ""Author Gregor Paul""

The making of a New Zealand coaching great Between the years 2012 and 2019, Sir Steve Hansen oversaw an era of such remarkable success that it would be almost impossible to repeat. His 15-year career in the All Blacks coaching team is the heaviest footprint in rugby history. Of the 210 tests he was involved with, his team lost just 25 times. Of the 107 tests he served as head coach, Sir Steve accumulated a record 4 World Rugby Coach of the Year awards and orchestrated 93 victories - a winning percentage of 87 per cent, the highest of any All Blacks coach.Steve Hansen: The Legacy delves into the highs and the lows that earned the New Zealand rugby knight a place in the pantheon of world rugby coaching greats. Revealing and perceptive, the book uncovers how Hansen dealt with the immeasurable pressure of leading the world's most famous rugby team; the tension created by being re-appointed specifically to win the Rugby World Cup; how he dealt with high-profile athletes and an exodus of New Zealand's all-time greats; the endless tug-of-war between commercialism and high performance; the increasing influence of referees on the game; the power battle between the northern and southern hemispheres; the Achilles heel that contributed to the All Blacks' 2019 Rugby World Cup loss; and how, during his career, he learnt to understand his weaknesses and use them to his advantage.Much more than a biography, in Steve Hansen: The Legacy, award-winning writer Gregor Paul tells the compelling story of the former policeman from Mosgiel, his quest for world rugby dominance and his journey to coaching greatness.

Read more less

Power, Money and the Team that Reshaped Rugby How did one of the smallest nations in the world produce the jewel in world rugby's crown? In the professional age, the All Blacks have evolved to become rugby's most marketable asset and a blueprint for building high-performing teams. But as the All Blacks became commercialised, the tug-of-war between performance and making money has intensified.From the battle between Nike and Adidas for ownership of the black jersey to the newly minted deal with Silicon Valley private equity group Silver Lake, Black Gold reveals how the lure of monetising the brand has impacted the performance of the players and coaches. What sacrifices are being made to increase profit? And is the golden goose at risk of being overcooked? Black Gold is a gripping, revealing book about the inner workings of the All Blacks, the balance of power and what lies ahead for the world's best-known rugby team.

Read more less

How the captains of the last 50 years have gone about leading the world's most successful rugby team. The job of All Blacks captain comes with a scrutiny that puts it alongside the prime minister in terms of profile and public expectation. It takes a strong, confident and assured personality to captain a team where failure is never tolerated.The Captain's Run is a behind the scenes journey into the world of All Blacks captaincy. It reveals how the great captains dealt with the pressure of the toughest job in world rugby, how they coped with failure, and what they would have done differently, if given their time again.

Read more less