Sevens Heaven
The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji's Olympic Dream: WINNER OF THE TELEGRAPH SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2019
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4.6 • 44 Ratings
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- £2.99
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- £2.99
Publisher Description
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018
The uplifting, feel-good autobiography of Ben Ryan, the coach of the Olympic gold-medal winning Fijian rugby team
It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks. He knows too that no other rugby nation has so little - no money and no resources, only basic equipment and a long, sad history of losing its most gifted players to richer, greedier nations.
Ryan says yes. And with that simple word he sets in motion an extraordinary journey that will encompass witchdoctors and rugby-obsessed prime ministers, sun-smeared dawns and devastating cyclones, intense friendships and bitter rows, phone taps and wild nationwide parties. It will end in Rio with a performance that not only wins Olympic gold but reaches fresh heights for rugby union and makes Ben and his 12 players living legends back home.
Customer Reviews
Beautiful Chaos of the Fijian game.
Loved it, Ben and Tom done a good job writing this piece and perfectly described Fijians and their love of Rugby. Left me reminiscing, laughing, crying and planning now to fly off to Fiji for a break.. ;)
Sevens heaven Ben ryan
A fabulous story and so well written.
Whatever you do don’t walk past this book, you will regret it.
If you love rugby this is a must read book. Having followed the world sevens on television I am often left with questions of just how do these teams prepare for such explosive and intense physical events. Ben Ryan has given us mere mortals a glimpse into that world. Ben developed a style of engagement that worked just perfectly with his 'boys'. Like so many aspects of sport, it is what happens in those intimate exchanges between players and coaches, either collectively or individually that are the important matters. We are given an insight into this area of Bens three year journey that are most interesting. The great coaches will always have a mantra and sometimes we get to find out what that is. Ben Ryan’s is
“The standard you walk past is the standard you become”.
Thanks a lot Ben. You’ve given me another tool in my life bag.