What do you think?
Rate this book
Centre Stage
In a nation of rugby heroes, Jamie Roberts has become a legend.
Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard a 6 foot 4, 17 stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction.
In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward.
A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive.
In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.
Jamie Roberts is your quintessential hard a 6 foot 4, 17 stone slab of rippling muscle, conditioned to run hard into other huge men in an arena where physical dominance is the prime currency. Yet away from rugby, he's a mild-mannered and thoughtful man - a qualified doctor with a thirst for knowledge and a curiosity about the world around him. It's an intriguing contradiction.
In his first full season with the Cardiff Blues he was picked by new Wales coach Warren Gatland in the Grand Slam-winning side of 2008. He was still establishing his position in the national team when he toured with the 2009 Lions, emerging as Player of the Series. He went on to win 97 Test caps and play for clubs in Paris, London and Cape Town, yet his career has seldom been straightforward.
A fractured skull was one of many injuries he had to overcome, and from the start he had to juggle the competing demands of university life and professional rugby. The joy of Six Nations success with Wales was balanced by heartbreak in the World Cup and disappointment against southern-hemisphere teams, while major trophies at club level proved frustratingly elusive.
In this colourful and frank account of a sterling career, Jamie Roberts reveals all about life on tour, in boot camps and in dressing rooms filled with once-in-a-generation characters such as Mike Phillips, Andy Powell, Shaun Edwards, Martyn Williams, Brian O'Driscoll and Johnny Sexton. He also shares his views on concussion in rugby, the failings of the professional structure in Wales and the vital role of old-school team-bonding.
336 pages, Hardcover
Published April 5, 2022
8 people are currently reading
29 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 9, 2024
I do read loads of rugby (particularly Welsh) & cycling biographies & picked up this one with no great expectations thinking apart from many clubs his life would be fairly uneventful but was pleasantly surprised with number of times he comes across as someone how works hard on the field & in studies but also enjoying himself as well. Thoroughly good read with insight to all the clubs he has played for, the big matches & behind the scenes stuff. Probably would give this 4.5/5
November 24, 2021
I thought at first that Centre Stage would be yet another run of the mill sports biography. Turned out I was wrong. This is an engrossing story of a very great Rugby player who is much more than that. A very well qualified doctor of medicine with an urge to travel, make friends all over the world and, now, starting to raise a family.
Jamie Roberts is a man of strongly held opinions and he backs his views with sensible argument. I must say I agree with most of what he says. He is now in the twilight of his career and, when he retires, I dare say he’ll make a substantial impact elsewhere, possibly in the game he loves.
One aspect of the book that disturbed me was the catalogue of injuries that he has suffered throughout his career. If my son was young enough to play rugby (he’s 47 so that’s out) I would not encourage him. The governing body of the game, World Rugby, needs to re-shape the game before the catastrophic injury becomes commonplace.
Still a very fine book and well-written with Ross Harries in support.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of’39, all published by Sacristy Press.
Jamie Roberts is a man of strongly held opinions and he backs his views with sensible argument. I must say I agree with most of what he says. He is now in the twilight of his career and, when he retires, I dare say he’ll make a substantial impact elsewhere, possibly in the game he loves.
One aspect of the book that disturbed me was the catalogue of injuries that he has suffered throughout his career. If my son was young enough to play rugby (he’s 47 so that’s out) I would not encourage him. The governing body of the game, World Rugby, needs to re-shape the game before the catastrophic injury becomes commonplace.
Still a very fine book and well-written with Ross Harries in support.
David Lowther. Author of The Blue Pencil, Liberating Belsen, Two Families at War and The Summer of’39, all published by Sacristy Press.
July 6, 2022
I actually really enjoyed this book. I'm always dubious about autobiographies and whether they'll keep me engaged. This one did, providing an insight into the inner workings of this player. Being welsh, I was able to picture and relive some of the big moments of Welsh Rugby over the last decade or more.
September 3, 2022
A very well written account of a successful rugby career. Very open and honest about the highs and lows of playing at top level. Something that does come across throughout the book is that behind the jersey Jamie is a genuinely lovely person! Highly recommend.
February 8, 2022
One of the best rugby biographies I have ever read. It really gets inside the man, his personality, his thoughts and emotions.
February 15, 2022
Great to read about some of the successes in Welsh rugby over the past 15 years through the eyes of Jamie Roberts.
April 1, 2023
a great read, Jamies bares all in this amazing book
warts and all
warts and all
April 3, 2024
Thoroughly enjoyable
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews