I am extremely grateful to Awa Press this week.
I would have written myself into an aneurysm about either the changes to the Highlanders’ jersey or the monumental FUBAR at FIFA. Instead, somewhat belatedly (sorry, publishers) my wife suggested that for my blood pressure I should finish reading former Wellingtonian Spiro Zavos’ How To Watch the Rugby World Cup 2011 and review it. Normally I don’t do book reviews in this column, but as I am a) Spiro’s biggest fan and b) in fear of having to go on blood pressure pills for the rest of my short life, I acquiesced.
I have to admit when the review copy arrived, I thought “oh God, a bloody how-to guide” – but as it was Mr. Zavos, a long-time rugby writer for the Sydney Morning Herald and St. Pat’s Silverstream old boy, I gave it a crack.
Zavos, in his long career, has been everything from a Katherine Mansfield Fellow in Menton to a history teacher at St Pat’s Town.  His erudite background brings itself to all his writing, which is invariably incisive, insightful, and tells a story in a way we haven’t heard.
So, even though the title may seem to lay itself open to the ‘how-to’ guide, it is a complete and utter eye-opener. There are some stories in this book so new that I found myself wondering if he had made them up. On Robbie Deans missing out as All Black coach after the last World Cup:
“People involved in the decision insist that Tew did not issue an ultimatum against the selection of Deans.  However, he did make it difficult, if not impossible, for Deans to get the job…when Tew was chief executive of the Crusaders and Deans was coach, Tew found it impossible to ‘manage’ Deans; he left Canterbury and moved to Wellington as chief executive of the NZRU to ‘get away’ from Deans…(t)he fact is that if Henry had not got the support of the NZRU board after he put his name forward, the board itself would have to resign; it had endorsed the failed policies behind the preparation of the All Blacks for 2007.  By voting for Henry to stay on, the board also voted for itself to stay on.  There is an obvious conflict of interest here…(t)hus it was that, with a one-vote whimper of disagreement, the NZRU handed over to Australian rugby a master coach with a point to prove about his World Cup credentials.”
The best part of this perfectly written book is Zavos’ analysis of the World Cups that have gone before.  He has an insight and contacts that New Zealand rugby journalists lack – or don’t utilise – and he maximizes the impact of his personal connections to tell some great stories in a way that engages.
As a schoolboy, I devoured rugby books.  I think this is the first rugby book I have read cover to cover in at least a decade. My reading, confined to night-time whilst trying to go to sleep, is usually in one hour bursts before I hit the lights. It’s an overused cliché, but I could not put this down.
Aside from the off-putting title, this is a book any sports fan – not just rugby aficionados – will enjoy.  The spirit, the hype, the battle against all odds are all captured here along with some fascinating insights into the backroom wheeling, dealing, and mindgames. A must for any footy fan’s birthday.  Well done again, Mr. Zavos.
‘How To Watch the Rugby World Cup 2011’ Awa Press Wellington.