RUGBY BEHIND BARBED WIRE: THE 1969/70 SPRINGBOKS TOUR OF BRITAIN AND IRELAND.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 1 - 10 ascending.] FINE+/FINE+. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,matt,colour photographic illustrated dw/dj with capitalised grey-lettered part-title+ sub-title and Foreword credit too,and capitalised,yellow-lettered name - all to front of dw/dj; spine/backstrip with continuation of front's photograph with capitalised lettered part-title+author name with publisher's white illustrated colophon to foot of same; rear panel of dw/dj with a colour photograph and white lettere quote/extract from Springbok captain,Dawie de Villiers.Negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to edges and corners – no nicks, tears or splits present.Top+fore-edges bright crisp,clean without blemish or foxing/spotting ; contents bright,tight, clean,solid and sound – no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips – would appear unread,other than my own collation.Publisher's bright,crisp,clean/unblemished, sharp-cornered,original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked gilt lettering to spine/backstrip,and immaculate plain white endpapers.UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,8-288pp [paginated] includes a Foreword by Chris Laidlaw,15 chapters,16pp contemporary b/w (the majority) and colour photographs in 1 block,between pp128/29,an Appendix of Itinerary and Team Sheets,End Notes,a 6pp Bibliography - (Books,Theses,Interviews,Newspapers/ Magazines & Journals,Later Single items and Videos) and an Index; plus [unpaginated] half-title+title pages,and a Contents list/table. Visually the exterior appearance is exceptional and particularly internally too,is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation.It really is an exceptional copy for its cleanliness,brightness and lack of detracting faults. 2019 and 2020 mark the fiftieth anniversary of the controversial 1969/70 Springbok rugby tour of the British Isles - a landmark event on both a sporting and political level. Taking place during the time of South Africa's apartheid dispensation,the tour was characterised throughout by violent demonstrations against the ambassadors of apartheid. Scenes of chanting demonstrators at the players hotels and airports were not uncommon, nor was the sight of protesters being dragged off the field of play by police.Smoke bombs and flour bombs also became a match-day fixture. These were wild and unnerving times for the players on tour, whose movements were badly inhibited and who had to play hide-and-seek to avoid possible violence between games of rugby.During a demanding tour that lasted more than three months and took them to and fro between England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland,they endeavoured to sustain a proud tradition of highly successful Springbok tours through the Isles. Through personal interviews with the players,including team captain Dawie de Villiers, vice-captain Tommy Bedford and other senior members of the squad, as well as key figures such as anti-apartheid campaigner Peter Hain, Rugby Behind Barbed Wire takes readers into the inner circle of a besieged group of sportsmen who just wanted to play rugby despite concerted efforts to deny them. The author also looks at the political context of events, and why so many felt that disrupting the tour was a matter of moral and political necessity. Drawing on first-hand accounts from several players and original research, respected rugby writer Chris Schoeman marks the 50th anniversary of this controversial tour remembered as much for politics as for rugby. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas customers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence,then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **