Book review: It was Never my Ambition to Become a Hooker by Neil Clark with Stephen Manning

Book review: It was Never my Ambition to Become a Hooker by Neil Clark with Stephen Manning

The Exeter Chiefs have been a massive feel-good success story in English rugby over the past few years. After winning promotion to the top tier of the English club game - the Premiership - two years ago the team has steadily improved, backed by a fanatical group of fans and a well thought out business plan. In just their second season since promotion the team finished in the top half of the Premiership, meaning that in 2012 they taste Heineken Cup rugby for the first time.

Veteran Chiefs hooker Neil Clark was part of Exeter's promotion-sealing Championship win in the 2009/10 season as well as their first two years in the Premiership. The club has granted him a benefit season in 2012/13, his 10th (over two stints) with the club. The release of It was Never my Ambition to Become a Hooker coincides with Clark's benefit season, and tells the story of how a troubled boy rebelled against the world following his parents' divorce and then discovered rugby, knuckling down to try and make a professional career and reward the faith of those who spotted early signs of potential.

Along the way he talks of the highs of team camaraderie and the lows of long-term injuries as well as the fickleness of some managers towards a "rugby journeyman". He then proceeds to tell the story of Exeter's run to the Premiership before diarising the Chiefs' matches over their first two years in the top flight.

Article continues here: http://www.v2journal.com/book-review-it-was-never-my-ambition-to-become-a-hooker.html