Author Description

Leonard's story starts as rugby started - in the amateur days, when the Cockney Carpenter began playing for Barking and Saracens in the days before multi-million pound business owners and sponsorship deals. His big break came when he was invited to join the England squad for their tour to Argentina in 1990. It was a tour that precipitated one of the greatest periods in the history of the British game, and Leonard provides an insight into life behind the scenes with England and his new club Harlequins as the personal records continued to tumble. Rob Andrew, Will Carling, Lawrence Dallaglio, Brian Moore, Dick Best and Clive Woodward are just some of the high-profile characters of whom Leonard has plenty of stories to tell. He also recalls some of the greats such as David Campese and Jonah Lomu, whom he has played with or against on Lions tours, for the Barbarians and in three World Cups. Once told that he would never walk again after undergoing life-saving surgery on his neck, Leonard describes the torment he went through during this period, and how he fought against all the odds to re-establish himself on the international stage. With more than 90 Test caps to his name to date and a career in rugby union spanning two decades, there is no more experienced player in the modern game. With nicknames like "The Fun Bus" and "The Scourge of the Barking Barmaids", Leonard has lived a colourful and at times controversial life.