Inspiring and irreverent by turns, Brian Levison's anthology has drawn on rugby's wealth of excellent writing.

Frank Keating, P. G. Wodehouse, Alec Waugh, A. A. Thomson, John Reason and Mick Imlah are among the distinguished names who have written movingly, amusingly and entertainingly about the game they loved.

Great players such as Brian O'Driscoll, Willie John McBride, J. P. R. Williams, Chester Williams, Colin Meads, Gavin Hastings and Brian Moore give us a fascinating insider's view, as does World Cup Final referee Derek Bevan. But some of the best writing and the wittiest insights come from those who played their rugby at a much less exalted level.

The origins of the game - sometimes true, sometimes fanciful - are explored as are some of its rituals like the haka. There are amusing tales including that of the four Tibetan boys sent by the Dalai Lama to learn the game at Rugby School, also barely believable stories about the game's hardest men, such as 'Red' Conway who had his finger amputated rather than miss a game for South Africa.

From the compiler of the highly acclaimed All in a Day's Cricket, this selection covers the game from virtually every angle and is sure to delight any rugby fan.