Clive Woodward

Alison Kervin

Clive Woodward won 21 caps as a centre for England between 1980 and 1984, and went on two Lions tours. In 1984 he moved to Australia, where he developed his rugby education, and also learned how sports teams could succeed through developing business methods. He returned to England in 1990, and began putting his new methods into practice at club and junior levels, before finally becoming England's first full-time professional coach in autumn 1997. In his time as coach, he developed a new professionalism that was to take England to Grand Slam and World Cup triumph in 2003, and make England the best side in the world. Alison Kervin was highly critical of his man-management methods in the early days, but came round when she saw and admired the way his methods began to succeed. Her revealing biography, based on interviews with the players and coaches who know him best, unveils the true nature of this complex man, who has become the most successful national coach in British sport since Sir Alf Ramsey. She assesses his performance as Lions coach in the summer of 2005, and looks at his plans for a future working in football.