Robert Angus Ackerman is a Welsh

Welsh people

The Welsh people are an ethnic group and nation associated with Wales and the Welsh language.John Davies argues that the origin of the "Welsh nation" can be traced to the late 4th and early 5th centuries, following the Roman departure from Britain, although Brythonic Celtic languages seem to have...

 former dual-code international rugby union and rugby league footballer. In 1983 he toured New Zealand with the British and Irish Lions

British and Irish Lions

The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...

 whilst playing for London Welsh RFC. A centre, he also played club rugby for Newport RFC. He was educated at Christ College Brecon

He made his Welsh debut on 1 November 1980

1980 New Zealand rugby union tour of Wales

The 1980 New Zealand tour of Wales was a collection of friendly rugby union games undertaken by the New Zealand All Blacks against Wales that also took in two international games in North America en route to South Wales...

 against the All Blacks

All Blacks

The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....

 at Cardiff and immediately a couple of bone crunching tackles had the crowd chanting his name at the age of only 19. He also played rugby league, turning professional on April 13, 1986 when he signed for Whitehaven

Whitehaven RLFC

Whitehaven RLFC is a rugby league club playing in Whitehaven in West Cumbria. They play in Co-operative Championship. Their stadium is called the Recreation Ground...

 in Cumbria. He went on to play for Leeds

Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...

, Carlisle Border Raiders

Carlisle RLFC

Carlisle RLFC were a rugby league team based in Carlisle, Cumbria.-Early rugby league in Carlisle:Carlisle City, based at Harraby Greyhound Stadium close to Gillford Park, were admitted to the Northern Rugby Football Union for the 1928-29 season. They withdrew on November 8, 1928 after only ten...

 and finished his rugby league at Salford

Salford City Reds

Salford City Reds are an English rugby league club based in Salford, Greater Manchester. Formed in 1873, they currently play in the Super League. They have won six Rugby Football League Championships and one Challenge Cup...

 in 1993.
He teaches at Christ's College, Canterbury

Christ's College, Canterbury

Christ's College, Christchurch is an independent, Anglican, secondary, day and boarding school for boys, located in the central city of Christchurch, New Zealand....

, New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

 and coached the 1st XV in 2008
Most recently he teaches Athletics at the American School of Doha, Qatar.

External links

• Profile at blackandambers.co.uk