Ray Batten facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Raymond Batten | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 23 September 1945 York, Yorkshire, England |
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| Died | 23 September 2020 (aged 75) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Second-row, Loose forward | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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Raymond Batten (born 23 September 1945 – died 23 September 2020) was an English professional rugby league player. He played during the 1960s and 1970s. Later, in the 1980s, he became a coach.
Ray Batten played for his country with the Great Britain and England teams. For clubs, he played for Heworth ARLFC and Leeds. He usually played as a second-row or loose forward, which are important positions in rugby league. After his playing career, he coached the Wakefield Trinity team.
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Ray Batten's Rugby Journey
Ray Batten had a long and successful career in rugby league. He played in many important matches and helped his teams win several trophies.
Playing for His Country
Ray Batten was chosen to play for his country, England, while he was with the Leeds team. He played against Wales in 1968 and against Wales and France in 1969.
He also played for the Great Britain team. In 1969, he played against France. In 1973, he played in two matches against Australia. Playing for Great Britain meant he was one of the best players from England, Scotland, and Wales.
Big Cup Finals
Ray Batten played in several major cup finals during his time with Leeds. These matches were often played in big stadiums like Wembley.
Challenge Cup Matches
The Challenge Cup is a very famous rugby league competition. Ray Batten played as a loose forward in the 1968 Challenge Cup Final. His Leeds team won 11-10 against Wakefield Trinity. This game was known as the "Watersplash" final because it rained so much.
He also played in the 1972 Challenge Cup Final. In this match, Leeds lost 13-16 to St. Helens. Both of these finals were held at Wembley Stadium in London.
County Cup Matches
Ray Batten also played in five Yorkshire County Cup Finals. He helped Leeds win all five of these matches.
- In 1968, Leeds beat Castleford 22-11.
- In 1970, Leeds won 23-7 against Featherstone Rovers.
- In 1972, Leeds defeated Dewsbury 36-9.
- In 1973, Leeds had a close 7-2 victory over Wakefield Trinity.
- In 1975, Leeds won 15-11 against Hull Kingston Rovers.
Floodlit Trophy Win
Ray Batten played in the 1970 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy Final. His Leeds team won 9-5 against St. Helens. This game was played at Headingley Rugby Stadium in Leeds.
Honoring a Great Player
In 1974, a special game called a Testimonial match was held for Ray Batten at Leeds. A testimonial match is played to celebrate a player's long service and achievements for their club.
Coaching Days
After his playing career, Ray Batten became a coach. He coached the Wakefield Trinity team. He was their coach from April 1980 to May 1981. He returned to coach them again from May 1982 to July 1983.
Family Connections
Ray Batten came from a family of rugby league players. His father, Billy Batten Jr., was also a rugby league footballer. His grandfather, Billy Batten, was a famous player too. Ray's uncle, Eric Batten, also played rugby league.
