The ultimate World Cup showdown, in the words of those who were there.Shortlisted for the Sports Book Awards Rugby Book of the Year.From 1997 to 2003 England and Australia battled for domination of the rugby world in one of the greatest rivalries the sport has ever known. In The Men in the Arena, William Hill shortlisted authors Peter Burns and Tom English explore every aspect of the teams' journey to the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, telling the story primarily in the words of the protagonists at the centre of the battle.Featuring exclusive new interviews with players and coaches from both teams plus an array of superstars who faced them from New Zealand, Ireland, France, Wales and beyond, this is the inside story like it has never been told before.'A splendid re-telling of English rugby's most celebrated story. Cracking stuff from start to finish' - Robert Kiston, The Guardian

Tom English is an award-winning BBC Sport writer and broadcaster. He is a co-author of the best-selling This is Your Everest (shortlisted for the William Hill Award in 2021), When Lions Roared (longlisted for the William Hill Award in 2018) and Behind The Lions. He lives in Bridge of Allan, Stirling. Peter Burns has been a sports editor for over ten years. He is the author of nine books, including the best-selling This is Your Everest, When Lions Roared and Behind the Lions: Playing Rugby for the British& Irish Lions. He lives in Edinburgh.