Martyn Williams: The Magnificent Seven

by Martyn Williams, Simon Thomas

Determined, dedicated, and dogmatic, Martyn Williams is the inspiring lynchpin who has steered club and country to victory in inimitable style. Martyn made his Wales debut at 20 and won the Welsh league title with Pontypridd the following year. Twice a British Lion, his finest hour came in Wales' Six Nations championship Grand Slam of 2005. In this insightful autobiography, Martyn reveals that he is more than just a rugby superstar. He speaks candidly about the personal tragedies of losing both his mother and brother to cancer and of the challenges of juggling his sporting commitments with being a husband and father to his two children. Martyn also speaks for the first time about the controversial departure of Mike Ruddock as coach of the national team, the drinking culture in Welsh rugby in the early years of professionalism, the infamous Battle of Brive, and explains why he turned down the chance to captain Wales at the 2003 World Cup. With coverage of the 2007 RBS Six Nations and revealing photos of his teammates and opponents, this is a complete look at an honest, witty, and entertaining member of the Magnificent Seven.

250 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Mat Greener · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great servant of Wales & great player integral in two grand slams. Very few amusing stories just the key facts of his career.

[russell barnes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm on page 191 of 288 of Martyn Williams: Can I finish this in a day... and what does that say about this book?

Having finished it in a day, it suggests to me the majority of international sportsmen don't really have an awful lot to say, and what they do say gets repeated four or five times per chapter. This is a slightly scathing and mean assessment as Williams comes across as a likable man, and he is/was one of my favourites from the current golden Welsh generation, but that's about it.

He played through the move to amateurism, was part of the Ruddockgate controversy and went on two Lions tours, but he comes across as mildly piqued by all the controversy, rather than spitting fire and brimstone about it like Brian Moore.

The comparison between the two isn't entirely unwarranted - although you probably don't want to read too much into it - but both suffered family tragedies and indeed neither of them knew their fathers. I suspect the problem lies in the fact Williams is still playing which means the bodies will probably remain hidden for a good while yet.

[Grant · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not a very good book, not very well written which would be forgivable if it was Williams himself who wrote it alone but it appears to have been ghost written. Worst of all several times in the book Williams touches on some of the bigger controversy's of his career and chooses not to go into detail or divulge any insider info he would have had out of some sense of loyalty to fellow players or past coaches etc. which is very noble but why write a book if you are not going to tell people how it all happened.