"First published in 1979 this classic text was the first study of the development of Rugby and has a seminal place in the library of the history and sociology of sport. With a new foreword and a new afterword, Dunning and Sheard now provide a sociological analysis of the major developments that have taken place in Rugby since the 1980s, with particular attention to the professionalism that was predicted in the first edition of this text." Barbarians, Gentlemen and Players, Second Edition will be an invaluable resource for sports lovers, rugby fans and students of the history and sociology of sport.