{"product_id":"153877382_product","title":"Gwyn Prescott - Arthur Gould : Rugby\u0026#39;s First Superstar - Paperback","description":"New Store Stock\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAbout this Item\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe item is a book Paperback\u003cbr\u003eThe Author Name is Gwyn Prescott\u003cbr\u003eThe Title is Arthur Gould : Rugby's First Superstar\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCondition New\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOther Comments\u003cbr\u003eNew Store Stock\u003cbr\u003eContent Language - English                       \r\u003cbr\u003eCategory - BIOGRAPHY \u0026amp; AUTOBIOGRAPHY \/ Sports\u003cbr\u003eSPORTS \u0026amp; RECREATION \/ Rugby\u003cbr\u003eHISTORY \/ Europe \/ Great Britain \/ Wales\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eProduct Description -\u003cbr\u003eArthur Gould is the definitive biography of the record-breaking Welsh international player who is widely acknowledged as the first superstar of rugby. Such was his fame and renown, that upon his tragic, early death in 1919, aged just 54, Gould's funeral in Newport was reported as the biggest Wales had ever seen.   Nicknamed 'Monkey' due to his childhood fondness for climbing trees, Gould played the majority of his club rugby for Newport RFC and won a then-record 27 Welsh caps  25 of which were at centre (a record only bettered by Steve Fenwick in 1980)  and captained his country 18 times (a record only beaten in 1994 by Ieuan Evans).\r\n\r\n A true sporting sensation, when he retired in 1899 Gould had played more first-class matches and scored more tries and drop goals than any other player.   Gould's superstar status was illustrated late in his career when a testimonial appeal received widespread public support and resulted in the Scottish and Irish unions cancelling their fixtures with Wales in protest at the apparent breach of the game's strict amateur ethos. The controversy deepened when the Welsh Football Union (now the WRU) stood firmly behind their iconic player and withdrew from the International Rugby Board.\r\n\r\n Fearing that lucrative fixtures with Welsh clubs might be lost and that Wales might join forces with the newly established Northern Union of professional rugby, England's Rugby Football Union brokered a 'one-off' dispensation which enabled Gould to benefit from the testimonial while retaining his amateur status, and ensured that international fixtures were resumed.   Comprehensively researched and written by acclaimed rugby historian, Gwyn Prescott, with the full support and encouragement of the Gould family, Arthur Gould - Rugby's First Superstar includes over 100 illustrations and will be enjoyed by all who love rugby and treasure its sporting and cultural heritage.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cp\u003eWhen possible we will add details of the items we are selling to help buyers know what is included in the item for sale. The details are provided automatically from our central master database and can sometimes be wrong.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eBooks are released in many editions and variations, such as standard edition, re-issue, not for sale, promotional, special edition, limited edition, and many other editions and versions.  The Book you receive could be any of these editions or variations. If you are looking for a specific edition or version please contact us to verify what we are selling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGift Ideas\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nThis is a great gift idea.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHours of Service\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\nWe have many warehouses, some of the warehouses process orders seven days a week, but the Administration Support Staff are located at a head office location, outside of the warehouses, and typically work only Monday to Friday.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003eLocation ID 245z\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eiHaveit SKU ID 174165768\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUnique Reference Number 2736271045\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"St David\u0026#39;s Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title \/ unisex","offer_id":45356873351412,"sku":"174165768","price":15.79,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/ihaveitmarketplace.com\/products\/153877382_product","provider":"iHaveit","version":"1.0","type":"link"}