Down and Under – A Rugby League Walkabout in Australia
By Dave Hadfield
With an introduction by Adrian Morley
Despite England’s disappointment, the 2008 Rugby League World Cup in Australia wasn’t all bad. Far from it. For one thing it allowed best-selling sportswriter & broadcaster Dave Hadfield to gather material for Down & Under, his long-awaited follow-up to Up & Over - in which a journey through England’s rugby league land was chronicled. This time, the glamorous world of Australian rugby league comes under the microscope as Hadfield unleashes his wit, wisdom and wanderlust on the land of Ned Kelly and Wally Lewis. A great read? You betcha! Paperback, 216 pages.
Down and Under reviewed in the Independent - Sunday 14 February 2010 By Simon Redfern When it comes to World Cups, rugby league has a long way to go before it can compete with the football equivalent in capturing the imagination of the British public. But the 13-a-side version has its charms, especially if you approach it with an open mind and a well-developed thirst, as did Dave Hadfield of this parish when attending the 2008 tournament in Australia. While events on the pitch get due mention, the real charm lies in Hadfield's Bill Brysonesque take on the people and places he encounters along the way. His mantra is "Don't let the rugby spoil the trip," which is just as well given England's dismal performances, and he clearly loves Oz. Whether discoursing on the fine distinctions between hoons, larrikins and bogans in the pantheon of Australian layabouts or musing on the country's unique beer measures, he is an amusing companion, the kind of bloke you'd actively seek out in a pub rather than avoid. Cheers for the book, Dave; the next schooner of grog is on me.
