The Springboks and the Holy Grail by Dan Retief

The Springboks and the Holy Grail (Signed & Inscribed First Edition Softcover)

A Veteran Journalist's Behind-the-Scenes Account of South Africa's Four Rugby World Cup Campaigns, 1995 to 2007

Bibliographic Specifications

• Title: The Springboks and the Holy Grail: Behind the Scenes at the Rugby World Cup, 1995–2007
• Author: Dan Retief
• Publisher: Zebra Press, Cape Town
• Publication Date: 2011
• ISBN-13: 9781770221475
• Edition Details: First published 2011. Inscribed and signed by the author.
• Binding: Publisher's illustrated softcover (paperback), perfect bound, dark green printed card wrappers with gold lettering.
• Physical Format: Large softcover (trade paperback) format, 294 pages. With a section of colour photographic plates.
• Language: English

Official Condition Report

• The Book: Very Good Plus (VG+)
• Exterior / Wraps: The dark green printed card wrappers with gold lettering are clean and sharp, with no creasing, rubbing or tears. The spine and corners are crisp. The page block edges are lightly toned.
• Interior: The pages are cream, clean and tight, with the binding sound. The section of colour photographic plates is clean. The text is free of markings, and the page edges are lightly toned.
• Provenance: Inscribed and signed by the author on the half-title page: "To Charles, Best wishes," followed by the signature of Dan Retief.
• The Dust Jacket: Not Applicable (As Issued)

Synopsis & Historical Value

The Springboks and the Holy Grail follows South Africa's four Rugby World Cup campaigns between 1995 and 2007 from the Springbok side of the fence. It moves from the triumph at Ellis Park in 1995 to the heartbreak of 1999, the disappointment of 2003 and the victory in Paris in 2007.

Rather than a match-by-match record alone, the book combines events on the field with behind-the-scenes drama, drawing on interviews with key players and administrators. It gives the reader a sense of the personalities, pressures and politics that shaped each campaign.

For collectors of South African sporting history, this is a signed copy of a modern account of the Springboks' World Cup years, written by a journalist who reported on all four tournaments.

Author Profile: Dan Retief

Dan Retief is a South African sports journalist whose career has spanned more than 40 years. A multiple award winner, he reported on all four Rugby World Cups contested by South Africa in this period, working for the Sunday Times and SuperSport.

His earlier rugby titles include More Than Just Rugby (1985), co-written with Wynand Claassen, and a 1995 follow-up credited to the same pair, More Than Just Rugby: The Final Chapter.

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