The Oval World

List of Abbreviations
Introduction: A Boy and an Oval Ball

Part I: Kick-off
1 The Tradition
2 A School Called Rugby
3 What Tom Brown Did Next
4 Rugby's Great Split

Part II: Towards Five Nations
5 Scotland: 'Rugby Football: The Real Game of the Two Countries'
6 Ireland: A National Identity
7 Wales: The Dragon's Embrace
8 France: The Baron, The Red Virgin and Rugby's Belle Epoque

Part III: Making a Rugby World
9 New Zealand: All Blacks in the Land of the Long White Cloud
10 South Africa: From Gog's Game to Springboks
11 Australia: Wallaroos and Kangaroos
12 From Rugby to Gridiron: Th e United States and Canada

Part IV: Golden Years Amidst the Gathering Storm
13 Harold Wagstaff and the Phantoms of Baskerville
14 British Rugby Before 1914: Stoop to Conquer
15 A Greater Game? Rugby and the First World War

Part V: Challenge and Change in the Interwar Years
16 All Blacks versus Springboks: Battle for the World
17 Rugby de Muerte, à Treize and à la Vichy
18 Britain's Rush to Rugby
19 Leagues Apart: 1919 - 39
20 Rugby in the Second World War

Part VI: Rugby's New Horizons
21 European Rugby and the Rise of Italy
22 Argentina and South America: Rugby on a Soccer Continent
23 Empire of the Scrum: Japan, Asia and Africa
24 Big Hits from the South Pacific: Fiji, Tonga and Samoa
25 The USA and Canada: Rugby's North American Dream
26 Women Will Hold Up Half the Game

Part VII: Tradition and Transformation
27 Springboks, All Blacks and the Politics of Rugby
28 Gentlemen and Players: Wales and England 1945-95
29 Bravehearts, Tigers and Lions: Scotland and Ireland in the Post-war Years
30 The France That Wins...
31 Rugby League: A People's Game in a Television Age
32 Rugby's Road to 1995

Part VIII Into the 21st Century
33 Shrinking World, Global Oval

Conclusion: The Soul of the Game
Notes
Index