A maverick is defined as an unorthodox or independent-minded person. You might think of the famous TV series or the character Tom Cruise played in Top Gun. Eddie Jones just happens to be the maverick of the rugby world, someone that did things differently, and with great success and exposure. Today Jones is still a man with many critics and fans, simply because he wasn’t an ordinary coach.
Jones is a best known as a coach that has made his way around the globe, working high-profile jobs in Australia, Japan, England, and South Africa. He has won some major hardware including the Bledisloe Cup, Asian Five Nations, Tri Nations Series, and Six Nations Championship, even leading Australia to runner-up status in the Rugby World Cup. He was an assistant on South Africa’s coaching staff when they won it all in the 2007 Rugby World Cup and he has England among the favorites this summer.
Eddie Jones: Rugby Maverick, an offering from Allen & Unwin, is the story of Jones’ life and career and the most thorough rugby biography we have ever encountered. Every detail of Jones’ personal and professional life is examined in great detail, from his time as a high-level player to head coach of the England national team. Even his time in the field of education as a teacher and principal is discussed.
The text is an enjoyable read of over 375 pages, a very insightful journey into the pressures of world-class rugby. You’ll see highs and lows, wins and losses, fame and controversy, good and bad decisions….this book literally has it all.
If you are planning on a reading a book about rugby this summer, Eddie Jones: Rugby Maverick by Mike Colman should be your first choice. It’s really that good.
