James Bater
Encyclopedia
James Bater is a former Welsh rugby union
footballer who plays as a flanker
for Llanelli Scarlets
in the Magners League
.
Bater began his professional rugby career at Swansea RFC
, before moving to the Ospreys at the team's inception at the dawn of regional rugby in Wales. In his three years at the Ospreys, Bater made a total of 67 appearances, scoring six tries. However, due to the rise of future Wales captain Ryan Jones and the signings of Filo Tiatia
and Jono Gibbes
, Bater found himself on the fringes of the first team at the Ospreys. The Scarlets came in with a bid for him, and he was allowed to leave. Bater has managed to make a place for himself in the Scarlets side, and has even captained the team when regular captain, Simon Easterby
, and vice-captain, Stephen Jones
, are on international duty.
In March 2009 it was announced that Bater had been forced to retire due to a neck injury.
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer who plays as a flanker
Flanker (rugby union)
A flanker is a position in the sport of rugby union. Flankers play in the forwards, and are generally classified as either blindside, or openside flankers; numbers six and seven respectively. The name comes from their position in a scrum in which they flank each set of forwards...
for Llanelli Scarlets
Llanelli Scarlets
The Scarlets are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Llanelli, south-west Wales the team play at the Parc y Scarlets stadium. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, as well as competing in the LV= Cup and the Heineken Cup...
in the Magners League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
.
Bater began his professional rugby career at Swansea RFC
Swansea RFC
Swansea Rugby Football Club is a Welsh rugby union team which plays in the Welsh Premier Division. Its home ground is St Helens Rugby and Cricket Ground in Swansea. The team is sometimes known as The Whites because of the primary colour of the team strip...
, before moving to the Ospreys at the team's inception at the dawn of regional rugby in Wales. In his three years at the Ospreys, Bater made a total of 67 appearances, scoring six tries. However, due to the rise of future Wales captain Ryan Jones and the signings of Filo Tiatia
Filo Tiatia
Filogia Ian "Filo" Tiatia is a New Zealand international rugby union footballer, who used to play as a back-row forward and occasionally lock Ospreys....
and Jono Gibbes
Jono Gibbes
Jonathan Brian Gibbes is the forwards coach of Leinster Rugby in Ireland and former New Zealand rugby union player who captained Waikato, the Chiefs and the New Zealand Māori rugby union team, and appeared in various All Blacks teams.Gibbes traditionally plays at the position of Blindside Flanker,...
, Bater found himself on the fringes of the first team at the Ospreys. The Scarlets came in with a bid for him, and he was allowed to leave. Bater has managed to make a place for himself in the Scarlets side, and has even captained the team when regular captain, Simon Easterby
Simon Easterby
Simon Easterby is an English-born Irish rugby union footballer. He plays for Scarlets, for whom he is a player-coach, and is a recently retired Ireland international. His regular position is at blindside flanker, but he is equally adept on the openside.-Early life:Easterby's father is English and...
, and vice-captain, Stephen Jones
Stephen Jones (rugby player)
Stephen Michael Jones is a Welsh international rugby union player who plays primarily at fly-half for Wales, the British and Irish Lions and Scarlets....
, are on international duty.
In March 2009 it was announced that Bater had been forced to retire due to a neck injury.