Attacking the Space

A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE WEEK

'Illuminating' Eddie Jones
'Fantastic, a must-read for rugby fans' Ben Youngs
'Essential reading... reveals rugby's secrets' Financial Times
'Well written, insightful and thought-provoking' The Guardian
'Quite literally, the book on data in rugby' Irish Times

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Does it matter which foot your fly-half kicks with? How can teams win matches when the clock stops? Why don't wingers actually play on the wing? Does having more possession increase a team's chances of winning?

Leading data analyst Sam Larner lifts the lid on international rugby, using his decade of experience at the professional level to reveal the tactical and data revolution that has taken the sport by storm. Sharing ground-breaking insight into the modern game, Sam explores the exciting innovations players and clubs are currently using to improve their gameplay. He analyses the metrics by which teams succeed and fail in their attempts to win metres, tries and matches, as well as why recent law changes are so important for rugby's development and what a data-driven future holds for the sport.

With each chapter focusing on a different match, such as France facing the All Blacks in 2023 and Wales' remarkable comeback against England at the 2008 Six Nations, Attacking the Space is revolutionary in its approach as the first book to tackle rugby's new obsession with data and tactics. It takes readers on a fascinating tour of modern rugby to offer a twenty-first century overview of one of the world's most exciting sports. This is rugby as you've never seen it before.

Sam Larner is a rugby journalist, analyst and coach. He has written for Rugby World, Rugby Pass, The Six Nations, and the Rugby World Cup. He has also presented Beyond80, an analysis and data show for World Rugby at both the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France and the 2024 Six Nations. He uses data and analysis to uncover what really happens in rugby matches, working with pro players and teams to help them understand what the data is saying and ultimately improve their chances of success. But, he gets just as much pleasure helping a newcomer to the sport pick their way through what can, on the surface, appear a complex game!

Attacking the Space is his first book.