THE ESSENTIAL HISTORY OF RUGBY UNION - WALES.

UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn. [Complete number line 10 - 1 descending.] FINE/FINE. No owner inscrptn and no price-clip to dw/dj.Bright,crisp,clean,glossy,wrap-around red background with red+white bands at top edges with capitalised white+red lettered titles to either panels,front's lower edges with red,white and black band with capitalised white,black and white lettering respectvely and montage'd thumbnail colour portrait photographs of 6 Welsh players; a red spine backstrip with slight sunning and fade,a thumbnail colour portrait photograph to head of same, capitalised white lettered title and publisher's dark green panel with capitalised white lettered initials WHS to foot of same,rear panel with montage'd colour+b/w photographs and black-lettered bullet point synopsis to white background. Negligible shelf-wear,bumping,creasing to edges and corners - no nicks,tears or splits present. Top edges lightly toned with sporadic,faint dust-flecks near head of spinec,fore-edges brighter,crisper,and clean without foxing/spotting; contents bright,tight,clean,solid and sound - near pristine - no dog-ear reading creases to any pages' corner tips,appears unread apart from my own collation. Publisher's bright,crisp,clean,sharp-cornered, original plain black cloth boards with bright,crisp,blocked silver gilt lettered spine,and immaculate plain white endpapers. UK,8vo HB+dw/dj,1st edn,4-335pp [paginated] includes a Foreword by John Dawes OBE, with his facsimile signature,10 chapters (covering1880-1900 to 1995-2003) with profuse,contemporary thumbnail portrait b/w photographs and sports action b/w photographs interspersed throughout the text and the book,Wales Rugby Statistics,The Wales Directory,50 Greatest Players, Results and Tables 1881-2003,and an A-Z of International appearances; plus [unpaginated] title page,a Contents list/ table and to rear,reverse of last page,a WHS advert for other titles in the same series. Visually the exterior appearance is still exceptional,and particularly internally,the book is also in an exceptional condition/state of preservation and presentation for a book of its 20-year-age and nature, i.e. a sport's reference book. It really is an exceptional,exemplary example for its cleanliness, brightness and lack of major detracting faults. Wales and the game of rugby are synonymous with one another,From the founding of the Welsh Rugby Union and the first international played against England in 1881 to the early years of the 21st C,the people have elevated rugby to something more than simply a game played by fifteen men in red jerseys.It has become part of the Welsh culture,part of the very heart of a nation that unites in both celebrating the victories and suffering the defeats of the national team. From the distant past of Arthur Gould and Gwyn Nicholls, Jack Bassett and Wilf Wooller to the post-war years when surnames became superfluous to requirements,the eras of Bleddyn, Jack and Cliff, Barry, Gareth, Gerald and JPR and most recently Jonathan, Ieuan and Neil. Classic encounters with the home nations and France together with New Zealand, South Africa and Australia provide an insight into the game at the highest level.As rugby union is essential to Wales,so Wales is equally essential to rugby union.This is their story. Please contact seller,for correct shipping/P+p quotes - particularly ALL overseas buyers - BEFORE ordering through the order page! N.B. ALL buyers please note,stocks' actual shipping/P+p costs are adjusted and any difference is refunded,after order's receipt and before the order's despatch,especially if the item(s) are offered either P+p included/FREE. ** N.B. US/Canada customers please be aware: Standard AIRMAIL postage from UK to these destinations can now cost more than the price of the book! If speed is not of the essence, then Economy rate is recommended - at approx. anything from a 1/3rd to 1/2 of the standard US AIR quote/rate - sometimes arriving sooner than the 42 days - but not always. **