Number Nine Dream

Rob Howley was a late developer in terms of playing international rugby. But the Cardiff, Wales and Brit-ish Lions scrum half has more than made up for lost time. In this title, Howley looks back at his career, including his injury heartache, his late development, the pain of seeing a friend temporarily paralysed and the various scrapes with officialdom he has been involved in throughout his career. He talks in detail about the teething problems of professionalism and how he, one of Welsh rugby's all-time great players, has on more than one occasion been issued with an ultimatum by the Welsh Rugby Union. From the moment he first represented West Wales Under-11s, Rob Howley was desperate to realise his boyhood ambition - to play senior rugby for his country. Injuries and subsequent operations set back his progress and when he finally returned to action, courtesy of a local valley faith healer, he found himself involved in one of the most controversial transfers in Welsh rugby history. Now a seasoned international and a British Lion, Howley tells a story of pride, passion and extreme personal pain.