Sports Reader Review # 1

I plan to review any sports book, magazine or website I read this year.

In brief.

The Rugby Paper

I've been trying to learn more about rugby union. The Rugby Paper has taught me more than any newspaper, other magazine or book. It offers up-to-date news on the big issues in the game, great columnists, match reports on the week's games and challenging debate.

With the RBS Six Nations four weeks away, The Rugby Paper is gearing up for all the action with news, previews and speculation. I've been reading it for a few weeks and am already hooked into anxiety about who is going to play wing for England, the turmoil in the European club tournament and the Welsh rugby's on-going problems... off the field.

I'm getting to know things and to form opinions that I could never have had otherwise. And I need that, seeing as I am writing a rugby union trilogy for kids.

That and watching the game. A lot.

I'm new to rugby union, really being more of a football and rugby league fan. But The Rugby Paper is at a good level for me. Some of its content goes over my head, but I can choose to try and understand those bits or just scan them. The newspaper format helps with that. Headlines and photographs draw your attention - or not.

That is why I think this would be a good magazine to have in a library or classroom where you have young rugby union fans. I'll be using it as part of my Rugby Reading Game in schools across the UK during the RBS Six Nations. I wonder if schools and libraries could be offered a special deal? Like First News, which finds its way to over 1,000,000 children every week.

The Rugby Paper comes out every Sunday. It costs £1.50. It is 40+ tabloid-sized pages about rugby union. You can get it in most newsagents, WHSmith, supermarkets and by subscription.