I think they signed in 1990-1991 IIRC. Bateman was absolutely outstanding for us. Ellis was a great passer of the ball and a very shrewd operator. I liked Phillips, I think his hands were good for a second row/prop. Around their era is when we should have tried to put a proper welsh team together. They had a decent international set-up then as well.

Bateman was a very good player who seemed to lack confidence in his own ability. He appeared to want to pass as soon as he broke the line instead of backing himself. Ellis was a great support player, but not quite elusive enough to play at stand off. He would probably be moved to hooker in this day and age. Phillips was one of my favourites, but for some reason johnson didn't seem to like his off-loading style of play. Would have been great to see Phillips in this team under Smith.

I used to live across the road from Kevin Ellis in good old Woolston, he use to have a Rover Metro with his name and sponsor plastered on the side, and as a starstruck 10 yr old boy I knocked on his door to get him to autograph a matchday programme, he invited me in and who should I find in his living room but Rowland Phillips and Mike Gregory watching Crossroads!

Quality but very surreal

Congratulations for the most late 80s early 90s post ever seen on an internet forum!

Bateman was a very safe and dependable player...Probably a little too safe at time, he just needed that touch of unpredictability to become truly top-class....Next to Drummond though at centre, I guess we needed a little relaibility...



Eliis was a little one-paced...Very enthusiastic and had a very good pass on him, but he was very much just a link man when working the ball out wide.

Phillips was an odd one.....Many a time, the only person inside Wilderspool who didn't rate him, was Brian Johnson, who often prefered carthorse-like, predictable props over him...I recall he would often come on for the last 20 minutes and look absolutely fantastic, with his off-loads and his ability to carry 3 or 4 tacklers along with him....Quite similar in style to Eorl Crabtree, he was the only one of the three who didn't get a fair crack of the whip.

Still got Kevin Ellis's brigdend top he gave me it the day before he signed for the Wire was staying in hotel were i worked still see him now and again top bloke !!

OOOH KEVIN ELLIS!

Ellis played his last game last year at the age of 44 for Maesteg. Whatever the code that is impressive.

Aaahhh Kevin Ellis. How I crushed on him as a star-struck kid! I even had a 'Kevin Ellis coat'. Does anyone remember those horrible, woven/carpet-looking coats that were popular? We he had one and I had to have one too. When I was mascot and given my tour of the dressing room he said hello and shook my hand, all whilst clad in only a jockstrap. I was 11 and so embarassed!

Those years were the golden era for me, not hugely for the rugby but it was when I was just starting to take a real interest in the sport and not just playing 'tick' on the terraces and 'hide and seek' in the empty Bevan stand after the game.

phillips was a backrower being made to play prop just due to his size, see dave king a few years later, almost like for like.