Jason Leonard : Full Time

by Jason Leonard, Alison Kervin

Leonard's story starts as rugby started -- in the amateur days, when the Cockney Carpenter began playing for Barking and Saracens in the days before multi-million pound business owners and sponsorship deals. His big break came when he was invited to join the England squad for their tour to Argentina in 1990 and has been capped 100 times. It was a tour that precipitated one of the greatest periods in the history of the British game, and Leonard provides a compelling insight into life behind the international scenes with England and the Lions, as well as the domestic game through his time at Saracens and Harlequins. Once told that he would never walk again after undergoing life-saving surgery on his neck, Leonard describes the torment he went through during this period -- both physical and financial -- and how he fought against all the odds to re-establish himself on the international stage. With a record 114 Test caps won, and a career in rugby union spanning two decades, there is no more experienced player in the modern game. Leonard has plenty to tell about the people he has met during his career -- Rob Andrew, Will Carling, Lawrence Dallaglio, Brian Moore, Dick Best and Clive Woodward all feature -- and with nicknames like 'The Fun Bus' and 'The Scourge of the Barking Barmaids' the stories are as colourful and controversial as the man himself. All is revealed in this fascinating portrait of an English rugby legend who also reflects upon England's 2003 Six Nations campaign and England World Cup vicotory in 2004.

Genres: Biography, Sports

288 pages, Paperback

First published April 19, 2004

Reviews

[Adam Lambe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rugby innit, enough said.

[Pete daPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

As the front cover states, this is the autobiography of a rugby legend. A loose head prop who played for sixteen seasons between 1988 and 2004 for Saracens, Harlequins, England and toured three times for the British Lions. Four times a 5/6 Nations Grand Slam winner, and a vital front row in England's World Cup win in 2003, ending with a record 114 international caps.
Jason Leonard is not just a legend in the game, but as his autobiography makes plain, he was a sportsman, which makes this book a great pleasure to read.

[Mike Richards · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not bad. A great guy with some entertaining tales - but the whole book is a bit light on the on-the-pitch rugby. It was especially very rushed through the 2003 World Cup which was a shame. His attitude towards the Lions, especially his non-selection in 1997, would make very good reading for the petulant Brian O'Driscoll though.