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The Good, the Bad & the Rugby: Unleashed
'I want absolutely nothing to do with this book.' – Owen Farrell THREE RUGBY MEGASTARS.
ONE EPIC BOOK.
Welcome to the wild world of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
They say what goes on tour stays on tour…but not this time.
Dive headfirst into the banter, bruises and brilliance of rugby with the team behind The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast. Packed with shenanigans, laugh-out-loud stories and a little chaos, this book offered a behind-the-scenes pass to the lives, laughs and legendary matches of three rugby megastars – on and off the pitch.
'There's rugby, laughter and, of course, more of me' – JAMES HASKELL
'The lawyers are once again on standby' – ALEX PAYNE
'I have no idea how this book deal was signed, but in the spirit of GBR -"Once in, all in"' – MIKE TINDALL
Among the key questions answered
What happened when Mike took their shambles of a podcast inside the walls of Windsor Castle to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal?How did James end up nearly killing himself on the way to the DJ set, find himself forced to save Payno from Tins and get confronted by irate fan?Why did Alex's broadcasting career sink to such depressing depths? And will it ever recover? (Spoiler alert – it won't.)
In this epically no-holds-barred book, all three of them go behind the scenes of the hugely successful podcast, pulling back the curtain to reveal their most outrageous antics on tour – the ups, the downs and the sideways – and leaving no story untold.
All is unleashed.
ONE EPIC BOOK.
Welcome to the wild world of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby.
They say what goes on tour stays on tour…but not this time.
Dive headfirst into the banter, bruises and brilliance of rugby with the team behind The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast. Packed with shenanigans, laugh-out-loud stories and a little chaos, this book offered a behind-the-scenes pass to the lives, laughs and legendary matches of three rugby megastars – on and off the pitch.
'There's rugby, laughter and, of course, more of me' – JAMES HASKELL
'The lawyers are once again on standby' – ALEX PAYNE
'I have no idea how this book deal was signed, but in the spirit of GBR -"Once in, all in"' – MIKE TINDALL
Among the key questions answered
What happened when Mike took their shambles of a podcast inside the walls of Windsor Castle to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales and the Princess Royal?How did James end up nearly killing himself on the way to the DJ set, find himself forced to save Payno from Tins and get confronted by irate fan?Why did Alex's broadcasting career sink to such depressing depths? And will it ever recover? (Spoiler alert – it won't.)
In this epically no-holds-barred book, all three of them go behind the scenes of the hugely successful podcast, pulling back the curtain to reveal their most outrageous antics on tour – the ups, the downs and the sideways – and leaving no story untold.
All is unleashed.
269 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 24, 2024
48 people are currently reading
44 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 27, 2024
I’ve just wrapped up The Good, The Bad & The Rugby, and it’s almost as chaotic and entertaining as the podcast it celebrates. James Haskell, Mike Tindall, and Alex Payne do a cracking job of blending outrageous anecdotes with the raw realities of life on (and off) the rugby pitch. The real charm is in their genuine friendship, with tales ranging from Haskell’s near-death DJ adventure to Mike’s royal escapades.
But here’s the thing—it’s written as three distinct voices, one per chapter, which threw me off a bit. While each perspective is solid, the format can feel disjointed, and I found myself occasionally jolted from one narrative to the next. Still, this structure suits their individual personalities, and once you get used to the flow, it’s a hilarious, behind-the-scenes treat for any rugby fan. You get insight, humour, and a sense of the shambles that make their podcast so lovable. A fun read, even with a few bumps along the way!
But here’s the thing—it’s written as three distinct voices, one per chapter, which threw me off a bit. While each perspective is solid, the format can feel disjointed, and I found myself occasionally jolted from one narrative to the next. Still, this structure suits their individual personalities, and once you get used to the flow, it’s a hilarious, behind-the-scenes treat for any rugby fan. You get insight, humour, and a sense of the shambles that make their podcast so lovable. A fun read, even with a few bumps along the way!
March 1, 2025
Extremely funny !! From an ex rugby player's point of view ........
February 25, 2025
Listened as an audiobook, where Alex Hask and Tinds read each of their own chapters. Quite funny as per the usual tone and antics of the podcast. Recommend - especially as it's free on Spotify to listen to if you have Premium!
February 24, 2025
Fun book. Very enjoyable read. Anyone interested in world rugby will enjoy this book. Real rugby characters talking about other rugby characters as well as the ups and downs of doing a podcast. Loved it!
November 30, 2024
To be clear: I am NOT the target audience for this book. Instead I had to listen to it every car journey with my partner - and I’m not spending 8 hours subjected to this for it to not count as part of my reading challenge.
(He gave it 3.5 ⭐️ for balance - not enough content, too much marketing the podcast and the hosts)
(He gave it 3.5 ⭐️ for balance - not enough content, too much marketing the podcast and the hosts)
October 16, 2025
As a huge rugby fan, and a fan of the The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast, The Good, The Bad & The Rugby: Unleashed was a must read for me, and it certainly didn’t disappoint.
I really enjoyed the format of the book, giving each of them the opportunity to have their own say on each topic. They are all very different people, and it very clearly shows throughout the book, but they work so well together, and I think that their differences actually make their friendship a lot stronger.
This book is filled with brilliant and hilarious stories, including World Cup tales, making a podcast episode with the Royals, and so much more. A personal favourite for me with the Foxy (Jason Fox) interview, and the aftermath of that. It had me laughing out loud. However, it also talks about more serious things, and the ways that they navigated their way through.
Of course the rugby chat was the highlight for me, but I also found the behind the scenes of the podcast interesting to learn about. Behind closed doors, they have had their ups and downs, some of which were quite serious situations, but the way that they all have each other’s backs at all times is so lovely. It’s true friendship, one that will make it through anything.
This is a fantastic read for any rugby fan.
I really enjoyed the format of the book, giving each of them the opportunity to have their own say on each topic. They are all very different people, and it very clearly shows throughout the book, but they work so well together, and I think that their differences actually make their friendship a lot stronger.
This book is filled with brilliant and hilarious stories, including World Cup tales, making a podcast episode with the Royals, and so much more. A personal favourite for me with the Foxy (Jason Fox) interview, and the aftermath of that. It had me laughing out loud. However, it also talks about more serious things, and the ways that they navigated their way through.
Of course the rugby chat was the highlight for me, but I also found the behind the scenes of the podcast interesting to learn about. Behind closed doors, they have had their ups and downs, some of which were quite serious situations, but the way that they all have each other’s backs at all times is so lovely. It’s true friendship, one that will make it through anything.
This is a fantastic read for any rugby fan.
November 28, 2024
Enjoyed overall, felt that there could’ve been some more stories included. They marketed as if it would be a tell all but was somewhat underwhelmed by some of the stories.
I love the pod, and was excited to read the book. Would’ve preferred some newer fresher stories.
I love the pod, and was excited to read the book. Would’ve preferred some newer fresher stories.
November 16, 2024
Great read, I cannot believe the hassle these 3 top lads get. Keep up the good work, loved the book and love the POD.
January 11, 2025
A good read with some entertaining stories from the guys running the GBR podcast.
March 21, 2025
Reposted from CB Book Reviews on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeMDpkNt...
I have listened to The Good, The Bad & The Rugby since the very first podcast episode was released under the name of ‘House of Rugby’ back in October 2018; in 2023 I went to two of the ‘World Cup After Party’ tour dates. It is likely that this is the very first podcast that I ever listened to.
For a long time, this Podcast has been one of my absolute favourites, a genuine highlight of my week that has helped see me through not just the Covid pandemic but some pretty dark days, weeks and months personally.
Whilst I’m clearly a huge fan of the Podcast, I wasn’t sure of exactly what to think and expect of them releasing a book.
Hosts James Haskell, Alex Payne and Mike Tindall cover a range of topics throughout, from how the podcast started to sharing previously untold stories and experiences from their last six years together as Podcast hosts including following England throughout the 2019 Japan and 2023 France World Cups, the rebrand of the podcast, the live tour and everything in between. The trio also discuss some of their views, how they have changed over the years, their angle and journalistic approach to the podcast, and why they feel that makes them different to the multitude of other Rugby podcasts that are available.
I have to say that I loved this book. It is very humorous and I haven’t laughed from reading a book as much as I did whilst reading this since reading one of Haskell’s own autobiographies or How to be a Footballer by Peter Crouch. I also found it insightful into the relationship between the three of them and the dynamics that have formed.
I would have liked more detail on the enforced rebrand, but I understand that this must be legally messy and therefore we will never know the entire truth in its full warts and all details.
Overall, I would say that if you are a lover of the Podcast as I am, then I would recommend this book as you will love it too.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DHeMDpkNt...
I have listened to The Good, The Bad & The Rugby since the very first podcast episode was released under the name of ‘House of Rugby’ back in October 2018; in 2023 I went to two of the ‘World Cup After Party’ tour dates. It is likely that this is the very first podcast that I ever listened to.
For a long time, this Podcast has been one of my absolute favourites, a genuine highlight of my week that has helped see me through not just the Covid pandemic but some pretty dark days, weeks and months personally.
Whilst I’m clearly a huge fan of the Podcast, I wasn’t sure of exactly what to think and expect of them releasing a book.
Hosts James Haskell, Alex Payne and Mike Tindall cover a range of topics throughout, from how the podcast started to sharing previously untold stories and experiences from their last six years together as Podcast hosts including following England throughout the 2019 Japan and 2023 France World Cups, the rebrand of the podcast, the live tour and everything in between. The trio also discuss some of their views, how they have changed over the years, their angle and journalistic approach to the podcast, and why they feel that makes them different to the multitude of other Rugby podcasts that are available.
I have to say that I loved this book. It is very humorous and I haven’t laughed from reading a book as much as I did whilst reading this since reading one of Haskell’s own autobiographies or How to be a Footballer by Peter Crouch. I also found it insightful into the relationship between the three of them and the dynamics that have formed.
I would have liked more detail on the enforced rebrand, but I understand that this must be legally messy and therefore we will never know the entire truth in its full warts and all details.
Overall, I would say that if you are a lover of the Podcast as I am, then I would recommend this book as you will love it too.
May 21, 2025
Love the podcast, the book was easygoing and entertaining.
June 14, 2025
A funny, insightful, honest book about the current state of rugby, their podcast and home life. Quite entertaining
July 4, 2025
Loved the camaraderie between these guys - great listen & would recommend, especially if you like their podcast
October 31, 2025
Interesting story of the biggest rugby podcast
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews