In 2013, England Head Coach Stuart Lancaster embarked on an ambitious project to turn Twickenham Stadium into England Rugby’s ‘sixteenth man’. Drawing upon the rich heritage created by all those who have worn the red rose since the birth of international rugby, he introduced a series of innovations around the stadium, which has since become the most advanced rugby ground in Europe. Inside the England dressing room, a roll of honour records the names of all those to have worn the shirt. Each player, when selected to represent their country, receives a unique number that indicates their place in a tradition that began on 27 March 1871 at Raeburn Place, Edinburgh, when the world’s first international rugby match took place. The current team are seated around the dressing room according to their position. Behind where each player sits is a list of the ten players per position to have represented England, under the title One of Us. This fascinating book explores the process behind these innovations and details the achievements of those deemed to be England’s greatest players.

Phil McGowan was born and raised in Rochdale and is a sporting and social historian. He graduated from University College London in 2007 and joined the Rugby Football Union later that year. He supplied the introduction to Dai Llewellyn’s A Century of Twickenham Legends in 2011 before authoring his own books. In addition he has implemented an award winning education programme and series of special exhibitions for the World Rugby Museum. He is sports history curator at the World Rugby Museum, located underneath the East Stand of Twickenham Stadium. The museum possesses the largest collection of rugby memorabilia in the world.