Bateman: League crusade a threat to WRU

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The Bridgend club helped fill the void in south Wales created by the demise of the Celtic Warriors and have risen to the elite of the 13-man code in just three remarkable years.

Bateman, who played for Neath before switching codes with Warrington in 1990, is impressed by the rugby league development work that has been taking place in south Wales which he believes the WRU will ignore at their peril, saying: "I think they made a massive mistake by taking a region out of that area and the Rugby League are taking full advantage of it and good luck to them."

He added: "It's an untapped mine of talent in both Bridgend and Pontypridd. There's some talented boys to come through there.

"I've got no doubt that the youngsters are becoming battle-hardened rugby league players from 14 upwards."

After cutting their teeth in the semi-professional National League, the Crusaders were granted a three-year Super League licence last July and on Friday have the honour of kicking off Super League XIV against defending champions Leeds Rhinos at Headingley.

"It's absolutely fantastic," said Bateman, a former British Lions centre who won three caps with Great Britain's rugby league team in the 1990s.

"I'm very excited about the first game against Leeds. I think it's going to be a major struggle for the year but, as long as they get the support from the British rugby league and locally, it's going to be a huge success."