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HarperCollins has snapped up former Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Sam Warburton’s “astoundingly personal” memoir.
Publishing strategy director Oliver Malcolm negotiated the deal for world rights for HarperNonFiction from Derwyn Jones at the James Grant Group.
Open Side will publish on the 19th September 2019, coinciding with the Rugby World Cup which kicks off the following day.
As the most successful Lions captain in history and the record-breaking captain of Wales, Warburton is a “genuine icon of the game, and his impact both on and off the field is undeniable”, said the publisher. Warburton retired from rugby in July 2018, aged 29, sending shockwaves across the sport.
Open Side is a “fascinating insight into the extraordinary challenges of a sport which requires players to repeatedly push themselves to their physical and mental limits. Through the prism of Warburton’s incredible career, it explores his leadership techniques and secrets of mental resilience, and offers a unique and prescient insight into the future of the sport”, said the publisher.
Warburton said: “I’m extremely excited and privileged to partner with HarperCollins to publish my autobiography. I hope it provides insight into the unseen, and publicly unspoken aspects of professional rugby along with the magnificent highs.”
Malcolm added: “It’s a huge privilege to be working with Sam on his memoir. This is an astoundingly personal book that explores the nature of leadership, the value of self-control, the torment of injury and offers a unique insight into the future of the game.”