Allan Bateman is a player genuinely respected throughout the two worlds of rugby. Calm in the face of adversity, he appears laid back, but he became known as the "Clamp" in his rugby league days because of the ferocity of his tackling. He has been playing first-class rugby for 17 years and shows no sign of slowing down. As a wry observer during what has been a tumultuous period for the union code, he has many a tale to tell.
Paul Rees is the co-author of On The Attack: The Batsman's Story (also available through Mainstream). He is a freelance journalist who contributes to Wales on Sunday and The Guardian. Educated at Llandovery College and Queen Mary College, London, in 1994 he was voted the Welsh Sports Journalist of the Year.