SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR PRIZE
CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR

'Engage!' was the last word Matt Hampson heard before dislocating his neck while in rugby training with other young England hopefuls.

On a cold, grey, overcast day in 2005, the cream of young English rugby gathered at a Northampton training ground. Matt Hampson, 'Hambo' to his mates, was one of them. He had dreamt of playing rugby for England ever since he had picked up a rugby ball at school. His skill, conviction and dedication had brought him to the cusp of realising that dream, in an England U21 team that included Olly Morgan, Toby Flood, Ben Foden and James Haskell. But as the two sets of forwards engaged for a scrum on the training field, the scrum collapsed and Matt, who played tight-head prop, took the full force of two opposing sides. In that moment his life changed forever.

Paul Kimmage went to visit Matt as he recuperated, and wrote a piece for the Sunday Times which won him his third successive SJA sports interviewer of the year award. They struck up a friendship and here, Paul tells Matt's whole story, in all its intimate detail. From the build-up to the dreadful day, to Matt's recuperation, to his struggle to adjust to normal life again, to his family and friends, to other tragic incidents on the rugby field, to the response of the RFU, this is a story of terrible sadness yet unadorned triumph and joy, of anger yet of reconciliation and peace . . . of a boy who became a man.

About the Author
Paul Kimmage was a professional cyclist before he turned to journalism, competing in the Tour de France. His book Rough Ride won the William Hill Sports Book of the Year award. He has been named Sports Interviewer of the Year five times at the Sports Journalists' Association awards. He is also the author of Full Time and Engage.

Reviews
'A hellish, inspiring and often hilarious account' * Daily Telegraph *
'Engage's honest and unblinking approach to the scale of his disaster makes this book much bleaker [and better] than just an uplifting triumph-over-adversity tale' * Sunday Times *
'This is a big call to make but no amount of head scratching contemplation has prompted recall of a finer rugby book than this ... the quality and the ingenuity of the narrative takes your breath away' * Rugby World *
'A genuine must read' * Sport magazine *


Awards
Winner of British Sports Book Awards: Autobiography/Biography of the Year 2012. Short-listed for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2010.



Book Information
ISBN 9781847393142
Author Paul Kimmage
Format Paperback
Page Count 416
Imprint Simon & Schuster Ltd
Publisher Simon & Schuster Ltd
Weight(grams) 297g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 1mm