Former Welsh full-back Shane Howarth has spoken about the ongoing pain the scandal that ended his Wales career has caused his family. Howarth’s story is part of a new book that tells the life stories of some of Welsh rugby’s most iconic characters.
In 2000, Howarth found himself at the center of the ‘Grannygate’ scandal, which rocked football in Wales. It was a harrowing experience for him and his family, ending a three-year spell as one of Wales’ best and most popular players.
Howarth, who previously represented the All Blacks, said he was eligible to play for Wales because of his Welsh maternal grandfather. But now the infamous “Grannygate” investigation has revealed a lack of official documentation to support this.
The man named after his grandfather, Thomas Williams, from Cardiff, is not on his birth certificate and the press claims his maternal grandfather was different.
In an interview contained in the new book – Rugby lives: the untold stories of 26 Welsh internationals in their own words – Howarth said the scandal had put his family “under pressure”. You can buy the book here.
“Take this [playing for Wales] They hurt me, hurt me, hurt me,” Howarth told former WalesOnline journalist Simon Thomas.
“But what bothers me most is that this has harmed the mother’s side of the family. I was pulling things that didn’t need pulling. Everything came off during washing. Of all this, what disappointed me most was that I disappointed my mother and grandmother. Stay with me until today.
“I went as far as I could to see Nana and apologize. This brought skeletons that didn’t need to be lifted. “I took it very seriously, it really depressed me.”
Howarth’s grandmother was even forced to publicly deny she had an affair, and the 55-year-old, who now runs a supermarket, says he never got to the bottom of the situation and decided it was best to leave it at that.
“My grandmother died in 2001 and that was the end of me,” he said. – I didn’t interfere in that. I wouldn’t go into it anymore.
“I couldn’t prove he was my grandfather. That wasn’t on the birth certificate. But in my heart of hearts I believed and still truly believe that I have Welsh blood in my veins.”
‘Rugby Lives by Simon Thomas is available from Y Lolfa, Amazon here and in bookstores.
Source: Wales Online
I’m George Gonzalez, a professional journalist and author at The Nation View. With more than 5 years of experience in the field, I specialize in covering sports news for various print media outlets. My passion for writing has enabled me to craft stories that capture the attention of readers all over the world.
