Around the World in 80 Minutes

What makes rugby special? Which individuals and teams have defined the modern game? Around the World in 80 Minutes charts the 'golden era' of global rugby union between 1973 and 2023 and goes in search of the sport's most influential trailblazers.

Robert Kitson, the Guardian's long-time rugby union correspondent, assesses the game's current health, tracks down the battered gladiators of yesteryear and asks some pertinent questions. Does rugby retain its old rugged charm? What does its future look like? And what, ultimately, constitutes rugby 'greatness'?

Observant, amusing and thought-provoking, the journey takes in some of the game's more prominent names to reflect on rugby's intangible shared joy. Millions of fans continue to find rugby maddeningly irresistible and endlessly compelling. This book is for them, and for anyone else wondering where the appeal lies.