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The Test
- My Autobiography
- Narrated by: Aidan Kelly
- Length: 10 hrs and 29 mins
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Sports
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billy vunipola wrecking ball
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Remarkably honest
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My Name'5 Doddie is a humbling, courageous and very funny celebration of a remarkable man. The extraordinary, life-affirming autobiography of Doddie Weir is an absolute must-listen – rugby fan or not. Rugby legend and MND campaigner Doddie Weir has always lived life to the full. On the pitch, Doddie's irresistible talent took him to the heart of every team he graced and brought him 61 caps for Scotland. He won fans all over the world with his sportsmanship, humour and boundless energy. Then, in June 2017, Doddie made the announcement that he had been diagnosed with MND.
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Every emotion going!
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Summary
Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of The Test, the stunning autobiography from rugby legend Brian O'Driscoll, read by Aidan Kelly.
Between 1999, when he made his international debut, and his retirement in 2014, there was no greater player in world rugby than Brian O'Driscoll.
In 2010 Rugby World magazine named him its world player of the decade - and since then the legend has only grown. Along the way he was tested - by personal loss, off-the-field pressures, and career-threatening injuries.
The Test is a book about how he took on those challenges - how a world-class talent developed a world-class work ethic and temperament. As he lost his youthful pace, O'Driscoll's reinvented himself as a player, revealing the remarkable character and drive behind the glittering gifts. In the latter years of his career, he put in a sequence of gladiatorial performances that etched themselves into the minds of every rugby fan every bit as indelibly as the legendary early tries in Paris and Brisbane.
Honest, gritty, and thoughtful, The Test is not just an essential sports book. It is an essential book about family, friends, hard work, courage, and imagination.
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What listeners say about The Test
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Nick Jago Johnson
- 27-06-15
Brilliant
Best biography I've listened to, well done to all involved. A must if you like or love rugby.
2 people found this helpful
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- Erin Main
- 12-02-21
Not the best narrated
Wasn’t impressed with the narrator as miss pronounced name of people and places. Apart from this it was good to hear the story of a great.
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- Kevin O'Brien
- 12-02-21
Excellent
Excellent audio book, really good insight into an Irish hero. Brought back so many wonderful memories of Leinster and Ireland successes
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- Peter
- 27-01-21
Good Biography, Decent insight but played it safe
I'm a big fan of O'Driscoll and the biography shows us a good portion of the man himself. Very interesting to see his major issues physically and mentally and ability to recognise when he is vulnerable and human.
There are no real controversial topics in the book and any issue he seems to take the peacemaker role. Everyone has bad points and it would have been good to see something beyond constantly being the nice guy. This could have been managed by mentioning some of the stories from the wild nights out he said has and how he would be in the middle of things on a nighg out but there is no story which tells us that. Maybe that is who he is though and he does come across as a very humble, caring, generous and a normal person who hasn't let any of it go to his head.
Worth a read on the beach
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- Anonymous User
- 23-05-20
One for rugby lovers.
Really gets into BODs career, telling the tails of many of his most memorable performances. Small details made the man, and they make the book excellent for the fan.
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- Michelle Cocks
- 14-05-20
BOD
one of the all time greats on the field, very enjoyable listen and a real insight into his life and effort that went into turning him into the best 13 ever to wear the Lions jersey
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- Ian Wallace
- 01-04-20
The Test
Superb from start to finish. Exceptional career and great to hear all the anecdotes
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- Y
- 27-11-19
Great instalment in the rugby history books!
Great prospective on all the competitions, defining games and tours of the last few years in the game!!!
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- aidan o donnell
- 18-08-19
very honest book
loved it and felt like it was written from memory and not researched from tv replays and match stats. He s very humble man who comes across as just, a normal guy who just so happened to be deadly at rugby.
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- deborah
- 28-06-19
Fantastic story about a wonderfuly talented guy.
I always watched rugby whenever England was playing,if it was against Ireland I knew I was in for a treat. Brian was a pleasure to watch. This book is fascinating. What wonderful support you enjoyed from your family, this really comes over in the book. All your struggles ,success, physical pain , doubts and fears are laid bare in this truthful narrative. Excellent listen, .highly recommended.
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- Edward
- 27-06-15
Lacked depth
Great Irish legend, but the book only ever skimmed the surface of Ireland's greatest ever rugby player.