Author:Robert Jones,Huw Richards
Rugby has held a central role in Welsh life over the past century. In the words of historian Gareth Williams, the game has been 'a pre-eminent expressionof Welsh consciousness, a signifier of Welsh nationhood'. Less than 25 years ago touring teams from the southern hemisphere knew that their hardest games would be in Wales; the Welsh national team was consistently the strongest in Britain. Thats all changed. Wales is now one of the game's also-rans. With only one Home Championship in the past 20 years and little success in the World Cup, Welsh rugby - despite some consolidation under Graham Henry - is badly in need of fresh thinking and ideas. Who better to provide them than the man who was widely regarded as one of the best scrum halves of his era, yet whose playing career coincided with that period of Welsh decline? In this thought-provoking and frequently controversial book, Welsh rugby icon Robert Jones provides a sharply realistic assassment of the Welsh game from the roots to the national stadium, drawing heavily on lessons learned and observations made during his own illustrious career. Raising the Dragon is a persona manifesto for change from a player whose commitment to Wales never wavered.
The book will be an inspiration to all the thousands of youngsters starting in the sport
—— Daily ExpressAn absorbing story of a man whose life has already thrilled millions
—— Sporting CyclistTakes off like an F-16...After the first chapter I was starving for more and had trouble putting the book down
—— WanderlustPeter's cautionary tale of success, stardom and the pressures of fame transcends continents and sport . . . stark and honest, it paints a bleak picture of drug addiction but offers salvation in the way he finally turned his life around
—— News of the WorldImmensely powerful, beautiful, addictive and, yes, incredibly thrilling... Like a surfer who is happily hooked, the reader simply won't be able to get enough of it
—— San Francisco ChronicleAn astounding story
—— The IndependentA remarkable story
—— SportA grimly compelling account
—— The ObserverJones has unearthed and told quite brilliantly the tragic story of a man condemned not only be authority but also by his own stubbornness
—— Sunday TimesMoving
—— Sunday ExpressMade me chuckle
—— Mark CavendishHilarious behind-the-scenes anecdotes
—— Glasgow HeraldAn irreverent and funny take on cycling’s biggest race from a man who has seen it up close every year since 2003
—— Lesley McDowell , Glasgow HeraldI found his behind-the-scenes look at the famous race both highly amusing and telling in equal measure
—— Johann Lamont , Scotland on SundayCycling at its best is fiercely cosmopolitan and internationalist, Boulting provides the kind of commentary the sport deserves, and will need if it is to fulfil its undoubted potential to reach out and grow
—— Mark Perryman , The Huffington Post