Carwyn

Carwyn James is the only man to have coached a British and Irish Lions rugby touring team to victory against the New Zealand All Blacks in New Zealand. He has been described as the greatest rugby coach the sport has seen and is frequently referred to as 'the man who invented the modern game'. His 'fifteen-man rugby' philosophy set the sporting world alight on an amazing tour of New Zealand in 1971, when he plotted the downfall of the All Blacks, eventually winning over their total respect and support too. Carwyn's life was not run of the mill, however, and was not entirely dominated by rugby. He was a prominent member of the Welsh National Party - Plaid Cymru - and was a poet, eminent broadcaster and journalist. He was also a great Welsh club coach and steered Llanelli to victory after victory year in, year out in all domestic competitions. But, as this intimate biography reveals, he developed alcohol problems, his sexual orientation became a subject of innuendo and gossip, and he suffered greatly with a virulent form of psoriasis, an illness he bore with great courage and fortitude to the end. "Carwyn: Prince of Coaches" is a story in two parts.One follows success after success effortlessly, the other, a tale of self-doubt and lost confidence which began when, like his contemporary counterpart in football, Brian Clough, he became an outcast in his own country. Not wanted for the top job; his genius ignored. Carwyn James was an artist, an entertainer and an outsider. And, right up to his mysterious death in a nondescript Amsterdam hotel in January of 1983 those were the characteristics that served him well. A loner, a dreamer and a visionary he turned his sport into an art form and is still sorely missed to this day by those who love the game he graced so wonderfully well. In this well-researched and controversial biography, Jeff Murphy sets out to unravel some of the mysteries behind the man. The results are startling and explosive and are sure to shock and intrigue.