Nobody Beats Us

The Inside Story of the 1970s Wales Rugby Team

Nonfiction, Sports, Rugby, Biography & Memoir
Cover of the book Nobody Beats Us by David Tossell, Mainstream Publishing
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: David Tossell ISBN: 9781845969516
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing Publication: April 1, 2011
Imprint: Mainstream Digital Language: English
Author: David Tossell
ISBN: 9781845969516
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
Publication: April 1, 2011
Imprint: Mainstream Digital
Language: English

In the 1970s, an age long before World Cups, rugby union to the British public meant Bill McLaren, rude songs and, most of all, Wales. Between 1969 and 1979, the men in red shirts won or shared eight Five Nations Championships, including three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns. But the mere facts resonate less than the enduring images of the precision of Gareth Edwards, the sublime touch of Barry John, the sidesteps of Gerald Davies and Phil Bennett, the courage of J.P.R. Williams, and the forward power of the Pontypool Front Row and 'Merv the Swerve' Davies.

To the land of their fathers, these Welsh heroes represented pride and conquest at a time when the decline of the province's traditional coal and steel industries was sending thousands to the dole queue and threatening the fabric of local communities. Yet the achievements of those players transcended their homeland and extended beyond mere rugby fans. With the help of comedian Max Boyce, the culture of Welsh rugby and valley life permeated Britain's living rooms at the height of prime time, reinforcing the sporting brilliance that lit up winter Saturday afternoons.

In Nobody Beats Us, David Tossell, who spent the '70s as a schoolboy scrum-half trying to perfect the Gareth Edwards reverse pass, interviews many of the key figures of a golden age of Welsh rugby and vividly recreates an unforgettable sporting era.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In the 1970s, an age long before World Cups, rugby union to the British public meant Bill McLaren, rude songs and, most of all, Wales. Between 1969 and 1979, the men in red shirts won or shared eight Five Nations Championships, including three Grand Slams and six Triple Crowns. But the mere facts resonate less than the enduring images of the precision of Gareth Edwards, the sublime touch of Barry John, the sidesteps of Gerald Davies and Phil Bennett, the courage of J.P.R. Williams, and the forward power of the Pontypool Front Row and 'Merv the Swerve' Davies.

To the land of their fathers, these Welsh heroes represented pride and conquest at a time when the decline of the province's traditional coal and steel industries was sending thousands to the dole queue and threatening the fabric of local communities. Yet the achievements of those players transcended their homeland and extended beyond mere rugby fans. With the help of comedian Max Boyce, the culture of Welsh rugby and valley life permeated Britain's living rooms at the height of prime time, reinforcing the sporting brilliance that lit up winter Saturday afternoons.

In Nobody Beats Us, David Tossell, who spent the '70s as a schoolboy scrum-half trying to perfect the Gareth Edwards reverse pass, interviews many of the key figures of a golden age of Welsh rugby and vividly recreates an unforgettable sporting era.

More books from Mainstream Publishing

Cover of the book Faith of our Fathers by David Tossell
Cover of the book Playing for Uncle Sam by David Tossell
Cover of the book Chasing Killers by David Tossell
Cover of the book Fighting Chance by David Tossell
Cover of the book The Dream Solution by David Tossell
Cover of the book Tougher Than Bullets by David Tossell
Cover of the book Hero of the Fleet by David Tossell
Cover of the book One Hundred Hill Walks in the Lake District by David Tossell
Cover of the book The Black Widower by David Tossell
Cover of the book Battersea Girl by David Tossell
Cover of the book Wild Thing by David Tossell
Cover of the book Olympic Gangster by David Tossell
Cover of the book Crossing the River by David Tossell
Cover of the book The GAA by David Tossell
Cover of the book Scots On Scotch by David Tossell
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy