Routledge Rugby Union and Professionalisation: Elite Player Perspectives

This Routledge research publication examines how rugby union has transformed from a 19th-century folk game into a modern professional sport. The book explores the sport's evolution from working-class origins through its adoption by public schoolboys, its role as a vehicle for demonstrating physical prowess and masculinity among gentlemen, and its development into a contemporary professional activity. Drawing on elite player perspectives, this academic work analyses how rugby union has reflected and shaped changing attitudes towards professional sport over more than a century, establishing itself as a significant international sport intertwined with nationalistic ideals. Essential reading for sports scholars, rugby enthusiasts, and those interested in how professionalisation has reshaped traditional sports.