Touch, Pause, Engage.

Saturday afternoon TV in South Africa is devoted to a bunch of guys trying to kill each other in order to get to a rather small ball across a big white line way on the other side of the field. Ok, we know a bunch of gals out there are bona fide sports fanatics but as for the rest of the sport ignorant ladies around, do we really know all we need to about the game held near and dear to the hearts of all the men in our lives?

Yes ladies, we’re talking rugby! The Girlfriend's Guide to Rugby is the new, must-have “rule book” for any chick. It’s written by an ex-player who played wing (that’s the oke in the back row that runs really fast with the ball) for previously named Transvaal (Gauteng people?!). The author is none other than Jaco Louw – a player turned businessman who has taken one of the trickiest things for any guy to explain to his lady, and has transformed it into something funny and fun, something everyone can get into.

The Girlfriends Guide explains the basic rules of the game using normal everyday situations such as shopping and relationships to drive the point home. Once you’ve read this book you’ll not only look at Rugby in a different way, but you’ll learn to love it. This book could in fact change the state of our Nation. No longer with the girlfriend or female spouse question ‘Why can’t we go to Sandton at 4?’ rather she’ll be explaining to her less enlightened friend why the forward pass is much the same as cutting in line for the season’s latest Prada bag. So, if like us, you’ve ever wondered why a rugby ball isn’t round - move over Franscois Pienaar – we women now know the answer!

After reading The Girlfriend's Guide to Rugby we’ve finally figured out what all the excitement is about and that just because it’s a boys sport doesn’t mean that us girlies can’t love it too! And trust us ladies; it’s a great game, filled with energy and non-stop action. We would choose it over a good ‘skiet and donner’ flick any day. Plus, Ryan Kankowski, Morne Steyn and Gurthro Steenkamp are’nt the hardest things on the eyes either. Now we wonder how Jaco plans on dealing with the running girlie commentary on the side. Separate rooms maybe?

**RAVE REWARD: WE HAVE ONE COPY OF THE GIRLFRIEND’S GUIDE TO RUGBY TO GIVEAWAY. TO WIN, EMAIL RAVERS.REVIEW@GMAIL.COM WITH THE WORD ‘RUGBY’ IN THE SUBJECT.

The Girlfriend’s Guide to Rugby is available at most bookstores as well as online at www.redpepperbooks.co.za. It retails for about R100.