Gregor Paul – författare

Power, Money and the Team that Reshaped RugbyHow did one of the smallest nations in the world produce the jewel in world rugby's crown? In the professional age, the All Blacks have evolved to become rugby's most marketable asset and a blueprint for building high-performing teams. But as the All Blacks became commercialised, the tug-of-war between performance and making money has intensified.From the battle between Nike and Adidas for ownership of the black jersey to the newly minted deal with Silicon Valley private equity group Silver Lake, Black Gold reveals how the lure of monetising the brand has impacted the performance of the players and coaches. What sacrifices are being made to increase profit? And is the golden goose at risk of being overcooked? Black Gold is a gripping, revealing book about the inner workings of the All Blacks, the balance of power and what lies ahead for the world's best-known rugby team.

‘Top 10 of Everything Rugby’ is a journey through the history of international rugby, ranking the best and worst of the game in lists that cover everything from best captains, great rivalries and acts of heroism to wasted talents, scary psychos and darkest scandals. There have been iconic players, gentleman thugs, giant chokes, huge upsets, memorable comebacks and acts of violence that make even the toughest enforcers shiver. Gregor Paul offers his choices on all of these – but of course he doesn’t expect you to agree!The book also includes Gregor’s Top Ten picks on:• The best of the Rugby World Cup• The best of the eight top-ranked rugby-playing nations• The best players in every field positionThis is a book both the committed and casual rugby follower will find impossible to put down. With every possible relevant and irrelevant facet of the game covered, ‘Top 10 of Everything Rugby’ is the ultimate judge on the acts, people and performances that have defined the sport.

This book shows that classic Chinese philosophy is as rational as Western approaches dealing with the problems of logic, epistemology, language analysis, and linguistic topics from a philosophical point of view. It presents detailed analyses of rational and methodological features in Confucianism, Taoist philosophy, and the School of Names as well as Mohist approaches in classical Chinese philosophy, especially in regard to ideas of valid knowledge.The authors also provide new arguments against cultural relativism and antirational movements like religious fundamentalism that do not pay due attention to what all human beings have in common- to cultural universals.

The making of a New Zealand coaching greatBetween the years 2012 and 2019, Sir Steve Hansen oversaw an era of such remarkable success that it would be almost impossible to repeat. His 15-year career in the All Blacks coaching team is the heaviest footprint in rugby history. Of the 210 tests he was involved with, his team lost just 25 times. Of the 107 tests he served as head coach, Sir Steve accumulated a record 4 World Rugby Coach of the Year awards and orchestrated 93 victories - a winning percentage of 87 per cent, the highest of any All Blacks coach.Steve Hansen: The Legacy delves into the highs and the lows that earned the New Zealand rugby knight a place in the pantheon of world rugby coaching greats. Revealing and perceptive, the book uncovers how Hansen dealt with the immeasurable pressure of leading the world's most famous rugby team; the tension created by being re-appointed specifically to win the Rugby World Cup; how he dealt with high-profile athletes and an exodus of New Zealand's all-time greats; the endless tug-of-war between commercialism and high performance; the increasing influence of referees on the game; the power battle between the northern and southern hemispheres; the Achilles heel that contributed to the All Blacks' 2019 Rugby World Cup loss; and how, during his career, he learnt to understand his weaknesses and use them to his advantage.Much more than a biography, in Steve Hansen: The Legacy, award-winning writer Gregor Paul tells the compelling story of the former policeman from Mosgiel, his quest for world rugby dominance and his journey to coaching greatness.