The story of the Rugby World Cup, South Africa, 1995 by Dobson, Paul; Nick Cain
The Story of the Rugby World Cup, South Africa, 1995
The Definitive, High-Gloss Chronicle of the Springboks' Historic Unification Triumph and the Tournament That Altered World Rugby Forever
The Definitive, High-Gloss Chronicle of the Springboks' Historic Unification Triumph and the Tournament That Altered World Rugby Forever
Bibliographic Specifications
- Title: The Story of the Rugby World Cup, South Africa, 1995
- Author: Paul Dobson and Nick Cain
- Publisher: Royston Lamond International [Pty] Ltd, Johannesburg
- Publication Date: 1995
- ISBN-10: 0958392986
- ISBN-13: 9780958392983
- Edition Details: First South African Edition, First Printing. Authorized Tournament Review.
- Binding: Original publisher’s premium heavy-gauge cloth-bound hardcover casing with vibrant gold-stamped spine lettering.
- Physical Format: Quarto (4to), 176 pages. Lavishly enhanced with an extraordinary collection of high-gloss, full-colour match action photography plates, comprehensive team sheets, stadium profiles, and official group-to-final statistical scoreboards.
- Language: English
Official Condition Report
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The Book: Used - Very Good (VG)
- Exterior / Boards: The original cloth hardcover casing presents in exceptionally flat, clean, and defensively square condition. The cloth binding remains robustly intact and uniform in color vibrancy, showing no vertical spine-lean, internal structural collapse, or core structural degradation.
- Interior: The internal text block is tight, crisp, and robustly bound. Pages remain entirely clean and free of traditional user highlighting, underline annotations, library processing stamps, owner name inscriptions, or dealer pencil markings. The high-gloss leaves exhibit a minor, superficial uniform wave or slight wobble along the top section of the page edges, which is completely typical for early large-format art volumes bound with heavy ink density in South Africa, and in no way impacts readability or structural health.
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The Dust Jacket: Used - Very Good (VG)
- Condition Detail: The original illustrated paper dust jacket is present, whole, and beautifully intact under a premium Cellophane cover. The jacket faces show only very limited, microscopic signs of edge wear from standard vintage shelf-sheltering, keeping its bold design elements and striking photographic contrast exceptionally bright and presentation-ready.
Synopsis & Historical Value
Published in 1995 in the immediate, euphoric aftermath of the final whistle, The Story of the Rugby World Cup stands as the absolute gold standard of contemporary visual reviews documenting the most culturally significant sporting event in South African history. This massive compendium captures every thrilling facet of the 1995 Rugby World Cup, tracking the high-stakes tournament from the opening matches to the legendary moment President Nelson Mandela presented the Webb Ellis Cup to Francois Pienaar at a roaring Ellis Park.
Acclaimed rugby historians Paul Dobson and Nick Cain deliver a masterful, point-by-point breakdown of the entire tournament, covering all pools, tactical masterstrokes, and iconic encounters across the country. The narrative tracks the historic rise of the Springboks, Jonah Lomu's earth-shattering performances for the All Blacks, and the dramatic extra-time drop goal by Joel Stransky that sealed national glory. Capturing the game right at the absolute dawn of full sport professionalisation, this premium quarto used collectible book serves as an indispensable primary historical record and a highly presentable collectible copy for sports historians and rugby union purists alike.
Author Profile: Paul Dobson & Nick Cain
Paul Dobson (1937–2020) was a monumental titan of South African sports journalism, a widely revered rugby historian, and a recipient of the prestigious IRB Chairman’s Award for his services to the global game. The author of over twenty authoritative rugby volumes—including the definitive histories of SA rugby refereeing and the structures of Western Province—Dobson was highly praised for his deep academic integrity, meticulous archival research, and engaging prose style.
Nick Cain is an exceptionally distinguished British sports journalist, author, and veteran rugby union writer. Long regarded as one of the finest analytical minds in international rugby reporting, Cain served as a chief rugby writer for The Sunday Times and a premier co-founder of The Rugby Paper in the UK. Together, their combined cross-hemispheric expertise, deep relationships within elite changerooms, and expert handling of technical game mechanics ensure that this illustrated volume serves as an authoritative, definitive primary historical record of modern rugby heritage.
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