If, as a Springbok rugby fan, you have always wondered what goes on behind the scenes – in the dressing room, at practice, in team talks and on tour – Our Blood is Green: The Springboks in Their Own Words will provide the answer to those questions, and many, many more.

Renowned rugby scribe Gavin Rich has interviewed a wide cross-section of Springboks from the post-isolation era and asked them a variety of questions, including pertinent ones about politics, the exodus of players overseas and about life after rugby.

In Our Blood is Green, more than 40 Springbok rugby players talk about their careers: how they made it to the top of their profession, what it was like to face the pressures of playing for South Africa’s national team, how they dealt with the media, the officials, and yes, the coaches who didn’t know what they were doing!

They answer questions like: is there still a divide between English- and Afrikaans-speaking players, does the ‘quota’ system work, is Bok rugby all about playing for the jersey or is it, as former All Black coach Graham Henry once said, nationalism that drives the South African team? And what is it like to play against the British & Irish Lions, or to face the haka, or sing our national anthem before an international Test … ?

By allowing the players to tell their own stories in their own words, Rich offers readers a comprehensive view of the players’ personal experiences, as well as their thoughts on the game today and the way forward for rugby in this country. Our Blood is Green is a compelling read for rugby fans of all ages.

Categories Non-fiction South Africa

Tags Gavin Rich New books New releases Our Blood is Green Penguin Random House SA Rugby Sport