In Pursuit of Bill : A History of the Rugby World Cup

The Rugby World Cup is a modern-day phenomenon, and now the third largest international sports event in the world - only eclipsed by the Olympic Games and the Football World cup. The competition has developed at an unprecedented rate since the inaugural event in 1978, from a humble amateur festival to an international sporting powerhouse. In Pursuit of Bill describes the history of the game, from its beginnings at Rugby College in England to the founding of the modern game and breaks down each tournament in which countries vie for global dominancy to possess the Webb Ellis Cup - affectionately known as 'Bill'. Including the 2011 World Cup results, this book has insights from administrators who shaped the game, anecdotes from legendary players and comprehensive statistics of every tournament played. Drawn from hundreds of interviews with key figures in the game, it is a book for newly initiated rugby fans and devotees of 'the game they play in heaven'.