Star's debt to his mam.Byline: Louise Day LIKE most Welshmen, international rugby star Allan Bateman Allan Glen Bateman (born 6 March 1965) is a former Welsh dual code rugby international centre who also represented the British Isles "the Lions" at rugby union and Great Britain at rugby league. owes it all to his 'mam.' The Wales' centre from Careau, near Maesteg, claims his dedication to the sport was a career move heavily influenced by his mum Lena Lena (lē`nə, Rus. lyĕ`nə), river, easternmost of the great rivers of Siberia, c.2,670 mi (4,300 km) long, rising near Lake Baykal, SE Siberian Russia. , a fanatical fa·nat·i·cal adj. Possessed with or motivated by excessive, irrational zeal. fa·nat  i·cal·ly adv. supporter of Bridgend Rugby Club.
In his new explosive autobiography, Bateman said: "I needed a new pair of boots but my mother Lena would only delve into her purse on one condition: 'The boots will be for playing rugby in, ' she said. 'Not soccer.' "Mum proved as formidable as any opponent I have since encountered on the field." The book catalogues Bateman's career from his early days playing for Maesteg to his heyday in the late 90s when he was a regular fixture in the national team. And it reveals the truth behind the match-rigging bribe BRIBE, crim. law. The gift or promise, which is accepted, of some advantage, as the inducement for some illegal act or omission; or of some illegal emolument, as a consideration, for preferring one person to another, in the performance of a legal act. he was offered to throw during Wales' Five Nations' game against Ireland in 1990. Recounting the moment in the Angel Hotel, Cardiff, he said: "The conversation was short and simple: "Would you be interested in pounds 5,000 for making sure that Wales Wales, Welsh Cymru, western peninsula and political division (principality) of Great Britain (1991 pop. 2,798,200), 8,016 sq mi (20,761 sq km), west of England; politically united with England since 1536. The capital is Cardiff. lose on Saturday?" My answer was even shorter: 'No'." Signing copies of the book in WH Smith, Bridgend, last week, Bateman said: "It is an autobiography about the years I have spent playing rugby league Rugby league players all need to be particularly physically fit and tough due to the game's fast pace and the expansive size of the playing-field as well as the inherently rough physical contact involved. and union. It was launched last month and it's on its second print run so I'm really pleased." Bateman, 36, who has settled back in Bridgend with his wife Nicola and daughter Naomi, has now returned to Neath RFC Neath Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Their home ground is The Gnoll, Neath. They are known as the Welsh All Blacks because of the team colours: black with only a white Maltese cross as an emblem. after 11 years away. And despite being one of the oldest players in the Welsh squad, he says he has no plans to retire from the club or international scene. In his book, There and Back Again, he said: "Some said that I would not be around for the 2003 World Cup. But why not? "I will be 38 by then, and as long as I am fit and proving myself at club level I see no reason why I should not be in contention." CAPTION(S): HE'S BACK AGAIN Rugby star Allan Bateman signs copies of his new book 'There and Back Again for Beverly Harris, of Brackla. PICTURE: Alan Grist |
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