Rainbow Warrior - Softcover

Pienaar, Fran�ois

3.65

105 ratings by Goodreads

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0002189062 ISBN 13: 9780002189064

Publisher: Willow, 2000

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In this updated edition of his bestselling autobiography, the ex-captain of South Africa and current coach of Saracens, looks back on an eventful career in rugby union and offers his compelling views on the future of the game post-World Cup 1999.

His is a fascinating story of a tough Afrikaans upbringing – how his unique brand of fighting spirit and unquenchable ambition saw him gain, against all odds, the captaincy of his country in Test rugby.

In his book he describes in detail the professional era – that defining period in the history of the game – and how he was ostracised by the South African board as he negotiated contracts for his players.

How did Pienaar influence political and cultural change in South Africa? What are his views on the change from amateurism to professionalism in the sport, both in this country and overseas? Where does he see rugby heading in the new millennium?

These and other powerful themes are addressed by Francois Pienaar in his hard-hitting and thought-provoking book, specially updated with Pienaar’s first-hand account of the 1999 World Cup and its repercussions on the sport.

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Review:

And I did play on. It was only when my vision began to blur deep inside the second half that I realised it would be impossible for me to remain on the field. It had long since been irresponsible, but now I was being bloody minded.

The 1995 Rugby Union World Cup in South Africa was a uniquely resonant sporting spectacle which thrilled TV millions across the world--that the battling Springboks should triumph on behalf of the fledgling Rainbow Nation was pure Disney. But the stories behind the public drama were anything but fit for a family audience, as Springbok's captain Francois Pienaar reveals in his autobiography Rainbow Warrior.

If you were in any doubt that professional sport, and rugby in particular, was a hard, sometimes vicious business, where team pride often sits uneasily with individual ambition, and money talks loudest of all, then this controversial book will set you straight.

From his rugby education fighting for the honour of Transvaal--both on and off the pitch--through the glory years captaining an all-conquering Springboks side as they stormed the national stage after decades in the wilderness, to his self-imposed exile in the English game with Saracens, Rainbow Warrior is Pienaar's largely unsentimental reflection on an extraordinary career.

As the Union game continues to struggle with the challenges of professionalism--in all its forms--Pienaar's is a highly critical voice. He wastes no time in pinpointing the failings of the game's ruling bodies and argues that both for the Springboks and the game in general, the 1999 World Cup failed to effectively build on the momentum generated by the 1995 event.

But at the heart of this book is Pienaar's passion for the competitive game and for winning--with the emphasis firmly placed on the latter. --Alex Hankin

Review:

“ It is a tour de force”
Mail on Sunday

“A remarkable story”
The Times

“A vital addition to the collection of any Springbok fan”
South Africa Times

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