Attacking the Space: Inside Rugby's Tactical and Data Revolution
Sam Larner
Jan 2026 · Seven Dials
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infoThis book will become available on January 29, 2026. You will not be charged until it is released.
About this audiobook
'The game of rugby has changed. Scrums take longer, we no longer ruck, and 9s put the ball into the second row. But it's still as intoxicating as ever. Attacking the Space is an illuminating description of how this has happened and where we go next.' Eddie Jones
'A must-read. Sam's detail and understanding of the game will open your eyes' Jimmy Gopperth
'Brilliantly insightful' Paul Williams
______________________________
Does it matter which foot your fly-half kicks with? Are defences simply unbreakable? How can teams win matches when the clock stops? Why don't Fiji play like Fiji and Georgia like Georgia? How come wingers don't actually play on the wing? Does having more possession actually increase a team's chances of winning a match?
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 yards, 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, Attacking the Space is revolutionary in its approach as the first book to tackle rugby's new obsession with data and tactics, taking readers on a fascinating tour of modern rugby to offer a twenty-first century overview of a sport that is often falsely believed to be going backwards.
'A must-read. Sam's detail and understanding of the game will open your eyes' Jimmy Gopperth
'Brilliantly insightful' Paul Williams
______________________________
Does it matter which foot your fly-half kicks with? Are defences simply unbreakable? How can teams win matches when the clock stops? Why don't Fiji play like Fiji and Georgia like Georgia? How come wingers don't actually play on the wing? Does having more possession actually increase a team's chances of winning a match?
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 yards, 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, Attacking the Space is revolutionary in its approach as the first book to tackle rugby's new obsession with data and tactics, taking readers on a fascinating tour of modern rugby to offer a twenty-first century overview of a sport that is often falsely believed to be going backwards.
About the author
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.
Attacking the Space is his first book.
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