White Lines
A Rugby Life Broken and Rebuilt
$32.13
- Paperback
336 pages
- Release Date
8 December 2026
Summary
Shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards 2026
‘A phenomenal book. It is going to be the biggest sports book of the year’ Tommy Bowe
‘White Lines … might just be the sporting autobiography of the year. It’s a gripping read, full of sobering insights into professional rugby and life’ The Guardian
‘Drips with authenticity and takes “warts and all” to a whole new level’ Irish Ind…
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781399758567 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 139975856X |
| Author: | Ryan Caldwell |
| Publisher: | Hachette Books Ireland |
| Imprint: | Hachette Books Ireland |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 336 |
| Release Date: | 8 December 2026 |
| Weight: | 420g |
| Dimensions: | 26mm x 152mm x 232mm |
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Critics Review
White Lines … might just be the sporting autobiography of the year. It’s a gripping read, full of sobering insights into professional rugby and life * The Guardian *
A phenomenal book. It is going to be the biggest sports book of the year * Tommy Bowe *
Drips with authenticity and takes ‘warts and all’ to a whole new level * Irish Independent *
Raw and revealing memoir … this compelling document will surely be on the shortlist for sports biography of the year * RTÉ Guide *
Ryan Caldwell
Ryan Caldwell is a former professional rugby player turned natural medicine, meditation, and breathwork practitioner. Born in Belfast, he played for Ulster, Bath, Exeter, and Ireland, earning a reputation as a fierce competitor before injury brought an early end to his career.
His story charts a turbulent journey from the heights of international sport to the depths of addiction, prison, and, finally, recovery. Since rebuilding his life, Ryan has devoted himself to understanding what sits beneath performance and wellbeing, and how integrating identity and trauma inform the process of starting again.
He now speaks openly about mental health, addiction, and transformation, working with others as they navigate their own paths forward. Ryan lives in Straid, Northern Ireland, with his partner Tara and their two young children.
Peter Lockhart is a Belfast-based writer, journalist, and solicitor whose work spans sport and long-form non-fiction. He writes regularly for The Irish News, Belfast Telegraph, and BBC Sport, primarily covering rugby.
A lifelong Ulster and Ireland rugby fan, he also hosts the Stand Up: An Ulster Rugby podcast, which follows Ulster rugby through its better and more challenging moments.
He lives in East Belfast with his wife Emma and their two young children.
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