Stephen Donald - Beaver

"Never in All Blacks history has there been a story quite like that of Stephen Donald. Now, for the first time, he retraces the steps that took him from the brink of success to the edge of despair and, in one of rugby's most memorable twists of fate, returned him to the very tip of triumph. A notoriously guarded man, Stephen Donald finally bares his soul in this open and candid recollection of his playing career. There are many laughs along the way, and plenty to ponder on the nature of perseverance and fortitude. Many rugby biographies have been written, but none that so vividly illustrate the emotional ride of life in the professional game. From childhood dreams borne on schoolyard fields to the intense pressure of measuring up to All Black standards, this is a story of family bonds, the strength of friendship, and the struggle to overcome self-doubt in order to attain the greatest of desires. It is also a story of second chances, and a guide to how we should all hope to take them"--Front cover flap.