RIP Grant Batty
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@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:
@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:
Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...
Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.
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Grant Batty is one of the few individuals I can think of who made the whole short angry man syndrome a good thing. Legend.
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One of those players that you hated to see lining up against your team. Ultimate compliment.
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Spot on.
One of my favs from that era.
I knee injury in those days could just about end it for you.
You'd never be the same afterwards.
They are much better at fixing them up to near as good as new nowadays.Used to laugh when he got sucked into a maul, guaranteed he'd be the one ending up with the ball!
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@Victor-Meldrew said in RIP Grant Batty:
@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:
@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:
Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...
Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.
Easy to forget now that players were amateurs and not getting paid. No doubt it was a massive honour playing international rugby but it meant forgoing a career and income.
Look at David Kirk, he left at his peak to further his education and career prospects too -
@Virgil said in RIP Grant Batty:
@Victor-Meldrew said in RIP Grant Batty:
@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:
@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:
Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...
Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.
Easy to forget now that players were amateurs and not getting paid. No doubt it was a massive honour playing international rugby but it meant forgoing a career and income.
Look at David Kirk, he left at his peak to further his education and career prospects tooPlayers of that era ever considered rugby to be a job
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@canefan said in RIP Grant Batty:
@Virgil said in RIP Grant Batty:
@Victor-Meldrew said in RIP Grant Batty:
@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:
@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:
Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...
Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.
Easy to forget now that players were amateurs and not getting paid. No doubt it was a massive honour playing international rugby but it meant forgoing a career and income.
Look at David Kirk, he left at his peak to further his education and career prospects tooPlayers of that era ever considered rugby to be a job
One that didn’t pay
Which is why several played overseas in Italy or France (JK did that a lot)
It was crazy to think back then releasing an autobiography could cause drama because it would mean making money from rugby -
@Victor-Meldrew said in RIP Grant Batty:
@booboo said in RIP Grant Batty:
@BerniesCorner said in RIP Grant Batty:
Hard to believe he retired at just 25 years old.
Excitement plus.Didn't his knees go? Will have to google ...
Went just before the '76 tour to SA. Played well in that series but retired after second '77 Lions Test when he knee really went. Also had enough Test rugby by then and wanted to further his career.
Sad news.
Yeah - he played with a big cast on his knee at times and I'm pretty sure in South Africa.
Electric, but tiny - and fiery. Recall him running in from the wing to throw a punch against - I think - the BIL.
Still remember that commentary of "there's a line-up out to the right...Batty...intercept...."
Craig Wickes another whose knee took him out in those days.
