St David's Press – serie

One of the most colourful and controversial characters in Welsh rugby history, Mike 'Spikey' Watkins remains the only player since 1882 to captain Wales on his debut, and win. Discarded by Cardiff RFC and banned by the WRU after the infamous 'Hookers Night Out' incident in November 1978, Spikey, who had regularly played for the Wales B team and was understudy to Bobby Windsor, thought his chance of a prized Welsh cap has disappeared. In this brutally frank and hard-hitting autobiography, 'Spikey' Watkins, the loveable rogue of Welsh rugby, lifts the lid on his roller-coaster playing career and explains how he fought back against the 'blazer-brigade' he despised, returned to captain a hugely successful Newport team and finally got the call from the WRU, due to public pressure from the supporters who adored him, to captain his country to victory against Ireland in 1984.

The 1946 Indomitables made themselves the most memorable touring team in British rugby league history with their remarkable achievements in the face of unprecedented challenges.Published to mark the tour's 80th anniversary and lavishly illustrated with over 300 photographs, The Indomitables - who were named after the aircraft carrier that transported the 26 rugby players to Australia - is the most comprehensive and authoritative account of the 1946 tour ever written.Crossing the world by boat - so soon after many of them had served during the Second World War - before travelling across Australia and New Zealand to play a gruelling itinerary of incredibly physical matches in front of sell-out crowds, made sporting legends of the 15 Englishmen and 11 Welshmen (including the captain, Gus Risman) and won the respect of both nations.These were The Indomitables - and this is their sensational story.

Herbert Victor ‘Chalkie’ White revolutionised rugby, transformed the Leicester Tigers into the most successful club in England and was widely considered the best head coach England never had.   This long-awaited first biography of Leicester’s legendary player and coach, written by former Tigers forward, Martin Whitcombe, provides a fascinating insight into the life and career of a true  rugby visionary who inspired numerous future England and Lions internationals as well as generations of rugby coaches.  Comprehensively researched – based on over 80 interviews with Chalkie’s family and friends, his former players, pupils, fellow coaches and rugby administrators – this heavily illustrated biography is packed with insightful anecdotes and stories from those whose lives were influenced by the non-nonsense, focussed, yet genial Cumbrian who regularly reminded his players: “Let  others tell you how good you are. I’ll tell you how to be better.”

When Pelé Broke Our Hearts is the definitive and bestselling story of  Wales's remarkable 1958 World Cup campaign. Now republished in an updated and expanded third edition, Mario Risoli’s highly acclaimed book contains additional material from the  players and their families and many more photographs and illustrations from the qualifying campaign and tournament.An incredible tale that features the Munich Air Disaster, a bizarre   qualification as representatives of FIFA’s Middle East/Asia group, and hilariously haphazard preparations, Wales battled through to a quarter-final against Brazil. But without the injured John Charles - the world’s most valuable player who’d been mercilessly targeted by Hungary in the previous game - the team were beaten 1-0 by the first World Cup goal scored by a 17-year-old Pelé.Heartbreaking yet uplifting, emotional and entertaining, When Pelé Broke Our Hearts chronicles a truly astonishing story that continues to be loved by fans of ‘the beautiful game’.

Champion boxer and world renowned trainer, Merthyr’s Eddie Thomas is a legend of the sport and this is the first biography of the man who is still loved and revered in his home town. Born into poverty in Merthyr Tydfil, Thomas began working as a miner but became an boxing sensation, winning the Welsh (1948), British (1949), Empire and European (1951) welterweight championships. Now the number one contender for the world championship, Thomas was denied a shot at title holder Sugar Ray Robinson, due to boxing politics.After retirement in 1954, Thomas established the Dowlais Boxing Club and became a celebrated and highly successful trainer and manager who guided local boy Howard Winstone (1968, featherweight) and Scotsman Ken Buchanan (1970, lightweight) to world championships.The first British manager to have two world champions, Swansea’s Colin Jones (welterweight), already an  Olympic gold medal winner, almost made it an      astonishing three world crowns for Thomas but drew one world title fight and lost another on a split-decision in 1983.