Fifteen men on a dead man's chest / written and illustrated by Murray H. Ball. Ball, Murray

Published Wellington ; Auckland [etc.] : Reed, [1967] Physical Description 143 p. : illus. ; 23 cm. Subjects Rugby Union football.

A hilarious look at rugbyfootball - the game that can be taught, up to a point, on the field of play. But anyone who really wishes to understand the game and its finer points must turn to literature to perfect his knowledge. This book, the AB - Z of New Zealand Rugby gives every player all the answers. It may be recommended as a symbol of enlightenment for young players: they may carry it under their arm with their sticking plasters and knee bandage to show they are keen. It may be waggled with profit under the nose of the referee before retiring the compulsory ten yards. It may be thumbed through meaningfully during team talks to show Coach you know all about him. It may be used by young wives to throw at husbands on the way to football practice with the tea half eaten on the table and the baby crying..... Wives, lovers, children, coaches, social football, referees, Shield football, foreign invaders, test matches, the Press, are all taken and closely peered at by the author. ( The wobbly lines in the drawings are because his hands are still shaking!). The players are also mentioned, even the Backs!! The author guarantees that few of the characters mentioned in this book are fictitious, and that any resemblance to people either living or dead under a ruck but as yet undiscovered, is purely the work of personal observation.

A REED BOOK

HARDCOVER, DUST-JACKET IS TATTY