Chasing a Rugby Dream Book Two Read online

  ‘A portrayal of a young person following their dream in the game, a cracking read’

  ALUN WYN JONES

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  ‘This is such a great story, I loved it. It’s so authentic about how young people chase their rugby dreams . . . just like I’ve done. A must-have book for all aspiring young rugby players’

  LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  ‘Another fantastic rugby adventure from James Hook. Packed with positivity, it’s a story about the importance of never giving in, fighting to overcome life’s problems and remaining loyal. An inspirational read’

  PAUL WILLIAMS

  RUGBY WORLD

  ‘I loved this fantastic book! A thrilling rugby story and great to see such a strong female character as Kitty at the heart of the action! A must for any rugby fan – boy or girl’

  JASMINE JOYCE

  WALES AND TEAM GB 7S

  ‘Such a great and inspirational read. James captures the joys and challenges of schools rugby perfectly, with a story that is packed full of positive messages for young readers. A must read for anyone interested in rugby’

  GEORGE NORTH

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  ‘A tale of heart, friendship and never giving up … the perfect rugby book. Beautifully written and essential reading for rugby fans young and old’

  BRYAN HABANA

  SOUTH AFRICA, 2007 IRB WORLD PLAYER OF THE YEAR

  ‘Everything that’s good about rugby is in this book! The joy of playing for the love of the game but also with a view to making it as a pro. A must read.’

  RHYS WEBB

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  ‘Superb! A great story that will inspire every child who reads it. Full of positive messages and tips to improve your game, this book ticks every box if you’re looking for an entertaining story about trying to succeed in sport’

  JONATHAN DAVIES

  WALES AND GREAT BRITAIN

  ‘Loyalty, excitement, humour, plenty of rugby action and a masterclass of rugby tips makes this the perfect book for any rugby fan. Every chapter is a cliffhanger which makes you want to read on and on. I can’t recommend this inspirational book highly enough’

  JUSTIN TIPURIC

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  ‘A great book that upholds all the important life messages that make rugby the great game that it is. A fantastic story that emphasises the respect that is key to the game of rugby. Inspirational’

  NIGEL OWENS

  INTERNATIONAL REFEREE

  ‘Another instant rugby classic! Impact is the perfect follow up to Kick-Off – great, realistic rugby storylines which promote great resilience, loyalty and the deep joy of playing rugby’

  LEE BYRNE

  WALES AND THE BRITISH & IRISH LIONS

  This edition first published in 2021 by

  POLARIS PUBLISHING LTD

  c/o Aberdein Considine

  2nd Floor, Elder House

  Multrees Walk

  Edinburgh

  EH1 3DX

  Distributed by

  Birlinn Limited

  www.polarispublishing.com

  Text copyright © James Hook and David Brayley, 2021

  ISBN: 9781913538255

  eBook ISBN: 9781913538262

  The right of James Hook and David Brayley to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form, or by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the express written permission of the publisher.

  The views expressed in this book do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or policies of Polaris Publishing Ltd (Company No. SC401508) (Polaris), nor those of any persons, organisations or commercial partners connected with the same (Connected Persons). Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers, or other information or content expressed by third parties are not those of Polaris or any Connected Persons but those of the third parties. For the avoidance of doubt, neither Polaris nor any Connected Persons assume any responsibility or duty of care whether contractual, delictual or on any other basis towards any person in respect of any such matter and accept no liability for any loss or damage caused by any such matter in this book.

  Every effort has been made to trace copyright holders and obtain their permission for the use of copyright material. The publisher apologises for any errors or omissions and would be grateful if notified of any corrections that should be incorporated in future reprints or editions of this book.

  All names and trademarks are the property of their respective owners, which are in no way associated with Polaris Publishing Ltd. Use of these names does not imply any cooperation or endorsement.

  British Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

  A catalogue record for this book is available on request from the British Library.

  Designed and typeset by Polaris Publishing, Edinburgh

  Printed in Great Britain by MBM Print SCS Limited, East Kilbride

  CONTENTS

  Prologue

  1: Great Expectations

  2: Fun in the Sun

  3: Thrills and Skills

  4: Preparing for Camp

  5: First Blood

  6: Tough to Tackle

  7: Homeward Bound

  8: Back on Home Turf

  9: Kick Chase

  10: Time to Talk

  11: A New Kid in Town

  12: The Ghost Story

  13: Back to School

  14: Reading for Pleasure

  15: An App Masterclass

  16: Family Ties

  17: Anyone for Sevens?

  18: Making Up the Numbers

  19: Centre Stage

  20: Rules are Rules

  21: Aye, Aye, Captain Joseph

  22: That’s Gotta Hurt!

  23: Doctor, Doctor

  24: On the Comeback Trail

  25: 10,000 Hours

  26: Aiming High

  27: Bread and Butter Kicks

  28: Even Christmas Day’s a Training Day

  29: Starting Over

  30: The Talking To

  31: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

  32: Gramp

  33: Saved by the Bell

  34: The Ladder to Success

  35: The Lowest Point

  36: Finding the Answer

  37: The Garden of Eden

  38: Tackling the Past

  39: A Tough Break

  40: A Bigger Picture

  41: Visualising the Future

  42: Enjoying Success

  43: Opting Out

  44: Jimmy’s Secret Garden

  45: The Final Countdown

  46: Finding Fekitoa

  47: The Road to the Final

  48: Crash, Bang, Wallop

  49: Duty Calls

  50: The Moment of Truth

  51: Hands Down!

  52: Arm Wrestling

  53: The End Game

  Epilogue

  PROLOGUE

  Eagles’ Elite Young Players’ Summer Academy Camp,

  Underhill Complex.

  Day Three.

  Mike Green looked up from his plate of scrambled eggs and toast. Jimmy Joseph was sitting across the table, his bowl of fruit and yoghurt barely touched, a faraway look in his eyes.

  ‘I heard you had a tough day yesterday, mate,’ said Mike.

  ‘You could say that,’ said Jimmy, flatly. ‘I just don’t know what happened. The more I thought about tackling
, the worse I got. I just wanted the day to end. My technique was awful.’

  Jimmy didn’t feel that the time was yet right to share that there had been moments, plenty of them, when he’d felt scared. This was a completely new sensation to Jimmy, one of complete failure on a rugby field, and he had no idea how to deal with it.

  ‘I heard Mr Kane telling Mr Withey that he only asked you to make five tackles all day.’

  ‘Five!’ exclaimed Jimmy. ‘I did five in the first two minutes!’

  ‘Yeah, I know. I heard that big prop in your group saying that Kane gave you a bit of a beasting.’

  ‘It was brutal,’ replied Jimmy. ‘Do you know, I was the only player in our squad who didn’t get to carry and run with the ball at all yesterday? It was one-on-one tackling all morning and tackle bags all afternoon. And Kane didn’t even give me any coaching – he just shouted at me for being rubbish! If I’d known the camp was going to be like this, I’d never have come. I’d have much preferred to have gone to the one being run at the Wolves with Kitty, Matt and Manu. They all texted me last night to say how much fun they’re having – it sounds like it’s all games and fun skill sessions and stuff. Nothing like what Kane’s putting me through.’

  Jimmy glanced down at his blood-stained (courtesy of his nose) and grass-stained (courtesy of his all-day tackling session) Eagles shirt, no longer as pristine as the day he’d received it.

  ‘I’d really been looking forward to this after the way our season finished,’ he continued. ‘Especially when my dad was able to find the money to help buy all the proper kit and it all started arriving. But it’s now turning into a bit of a nightmare.’

  ‘I know,’ nodded Mike, ‘but you’ve just got to hang in there, mate. It’ll be worth it. Playing for the Eagles is your dream, isn’t it? Well we’re here, this is the start. We’re on the ladder. You can’t let Kane ruin it.’

  Jimmy nodded, but was quiet for a moment.

  ‘Yeah, but you know what,’ he said, at last, his shoulders slumping a little further. ‘Maybe I am too young to be here. If today’s anything like yesterday, I might just knock it on the head and call it quits.’

  ‘No, don’t do that!’ exclaimed Mike. ‘It’ll get better. Just give it a day or two and you’ll start getting used to everything and Kane will just get bored of picking on you. You’ll see.’

  Jimmy appreciated Mike’s optimism and support, but it would prove sadly misplaced. The third day of the camp was Jimmy’s worst by a long way. The first hour was fitness, which Jimmy didn’t mind at all. But on every exercise or drill they were shown, Mr Kane would find fault in Jimmy’s efforts and send him down for five press ups.

  When it came to kicking practice, which was one of Jimmy’s strengths, Mr Kane instructed Jimmy to stand behind the posts with the props and second rows, acting as a ball boy and running the balls back to the kickers. Jimmy couldn’t have been more dispirited.

  Until the tackle bags came out to play again.

  Kane immediately threw one to Jimmy as the afternoon session began, and he was lined up as cannon fodder again and again as the other boys – who were all a year or two older – ran at him at full tilt. For the next half an hour, he was bashed and knocked and pummelled. Not once was Jimmy allowed to relinquish the tackle bag, and again he became the only player of the squad not picked to run with the ball. But much worse, as player after player thumped into Jimmy and his tackle bag, so he began to resent each huge impact. That resentment quickly turned to dread, and that dread eventually turned to fear.

  At the end of the session, when Mr Kane’s whistle blew for the final time, Jimmy threw down his tackle bag and just stared at it. His forearms were aching from the constant battering and the strength he’d needed to keep a grip of the tackle bag each time somebody smashed into him. Surely an elite rugby academy was supposed to be more enjoyable than this? Or actually involve him playing some actual rugby? But then all the other kids in his group were getting to do that. It was just him that was the odd one out. He felt very alone.

  ‘Well, we’ve found your weakness,’ said Mr Kane, sauntering past. He wasn’t even looking at Jimmy, but it was clear who he was talking to. ‘Can’t tackle . . . won’t tackle. Never mind, much more of the same tomorrow.’

  Jimmy decided there and then, as he watched Mr Kane swagger off towards the doors to the changing rooms near the entrance to the Eagles’ training complex, his shoulders rocking as he went, that there wasn’t going to be a tomorrow. Forget this relentless slog. He was going home and he wasn’t coming back.

  GREAT EXPECTATIONS

  Four weeks earlier.

  ‘Hey Jimmy!’ shouted Kitty across the waste ground behind the row of terraced houses where they’d both lived since they were born.

  Jimmy spun around at the sound of her voice and drilled a thirty metre kick towards her. Kitty crabbed sideways a couple of steps and then plucked the ball out of the air. She jogged towards him and then backheeled the ball over her head and into Jimmy’s hands.

  ‘Nobody likes a show-off,’ he said, grinning.

  ‘And you’d know all about that, wouldn’t you?!’ laughed Kitty as he started to do keepie-uppies.

  ‘Fair point,’ he laughed, just as he lost control.

  Since their incredible victory in the Cluster Cup final at the end of the previous rugby season in May, Jimmy had become very much a local sporting celebrity. All the dark days of the bullying by Mike Green and the awful treatment at the hands of Mark Kane were nothing more than distant memories. It was exactly as his beloved grandfather, Will, had promised him at the height of Jimmy’s troubles . . . ‘Mark my words, Jimmy, once all this bullying is sorted – which it will be – it will all just become a memory that will fade to nothing in time. It’s dealing with it now that’s the problem; but once sorted, it’ll be gone from your life forever.’

  Will’s wise words were proved correct. The way that Jimmy had handled himself in the final, as an on-field leader, and the way he had encouraged Mike to take that all-important last-second conversion, had transformed the way people viewed Jimmy, and in many ways, the way Jimmy viewed himself. From the headteacher, Mr Davies, to stand-in coach and local rugby legend, Peter Clement, to his former enemy himself, Mike Green, all had been fulsome in their praise of Jimmy. And it had to be said, it all had an effect on Jimmy. He would never have admitted it to anyone, but he’d always felt that he’d lived a little bit in the shadow of his brother, Jonny. Jimmy hero-worshipped his brother, but there had been times in the past when all Jonny’s rugby achievements – captaining Central Primary, captaining both the Year 7 and 8 first XVs at Bishopswood, attending all the age group Eagles camps – had seemed to heap an added pressure on Jimmy. And at the height of his bullying by Mike and treatment by Kane, Jimmy privately wondered if he’d ever get the chance to potentially match Jonny’s achievements. But now, Jimmy felt that he was very much on his way to equalling his brother’s accomplishments and was now clearly up and running in his fledgling rugby career. And, consequently, his confidence levels had shot through the roof.

  ‘You don’t really think I’m a show-off do you, Kit?’ asked Jimmy, flicking the ball to her. Kitty was the most honest, straight-talking person he knew and always said what she meant, even if her honesty sometimes hurt a little.

  She laughed. ‘Nah, not really, Jim . . . it’s nice to see you being a bit more confident – and not just in rugby either, I’ve noticed in class and around school too.’

  ‘Not in a bad way, though?’ he asked, suddenly feeling anxious about her reply.

  ‘Nah,’ she said again. ‘I don’t think so. My dad’s always told me that it’s important to be confident in life. “Just don’t get too big for your boots,”’ she added, in a great imitation of her dad’s voice.

  ‘Let’s have a pact to make sure neither of us lets the other one ever get too cocky,’ said Jimmy.

  ‘Cool,’ she said, spinning the ball on her finger. ‘Just make sure you don’t confuse me u
sing my outrageous skills with being cocky.’

  ‘You’re the definition of humility, Kit,’ said Jimmy dryly. But he knew they understood each other and that her dad had a point. His grandfather had always echoed a similar viewpoint, especially when he told Jimmy stories of his time in the Marines and the importance of team work and doing the right thing whenever you could.

  ‘And don’t worry, I’ll keep you grounded, cup final superstar,’ she added, starting to bounce on her toes. She shuffled her feet like a boxer and then tucked the ball under her arm and charged at him. Taken totally by surprise, Jimmy was brushed aside as she clattered into him and before he knew it, he was sitting in a heap on the dusty ground.

  ‘There you go superstar, as promised, I’ll always keep you grounded. But if you want to make it, I think you’re going to have to work on your tackle technique.’

  They both roared with laughter, but little did either Kitty or Jimmy know just how prophetic her words would soon become.

  FUN IN THE SUN

  Kitty and Jimmy made their way from the waste ground beneath a cloudless summer sky. It was getting towards late morning and, on a Sunday, that would usually mean that lots of other kids would be roaming around down at The Rec so there was always a chance to strike up an impromptu game of rugby which could sometimes last for hours.

  As they stepped through the wrought iron gates to The Rec, they were greeted by a loud cry of ‘Kitty! Jimmy boooooooooy!’

  They looked to their right and saw Manu loping towards them.

  ‘Not in church today?’ called Jimmy.

  ‘Nah, Mum and Dad let me off this morning,’ replied Manu.

  ‘Mate, have you grown since Friday?’ enquired Kitty, ‘I swear you have!’

  Manu did a little swerving sidestep just before he reached them, then flexed his bicep.

  ‘Growth spurts my mother says,’ he said with a grin before exchanging fist bumps. ‘She’s going crazy, I’m growing out of everything.’