Gregg Botterman (born 3 March 1968) is a former

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

hooker for premiership team

Saracens file:Erhard Reuwich Sarazenen 1486.png, upright 1.5, Late 15th-century History of Germany, German woodcut depicting Saracens ''Saracen'' ( ) was a term used both in Greek language, Greek and Latin writings between the 5th and 15th centuries to ...

, as well as

London Welsh London Welsh Rugby Football Club () was a rugby union club formed in 1885. Based in Old Deer Park, Richmond-upon-Thames, London Welsh RFC played in the English Premiership in the 2012–13 and 2014–15 seasons, after gaining promotion from ...

and Old Albanians. He acted as the first-choice hooker during Saracens' entry into professionalism and played as Saracens won the Tetley's bitter cup. As a Saracens youth player, he received particular notes for playing against Orrell R.U.F.C. despite multiple broken ribs. Botterman finished his professional rugby career in 2004, but remained involved in rugby with a 9-year stint as both player and part-time coach with Old Albanians. This stint would also include a game with the Barbarians against East Midlands, coming on as a replacement during a 48-17 victory. His niece, Hannah Botterman is a Bristol and England prop, starting for both Saracens and England aged 18 after being introduced to rugby aged 4 by her uncle and aunt (Jane Everett - also an English prop). In June 2022, Botterman rowed 1200 km (745 mi) across the Black Sea with teammates

Danny Longman Danny Longman (born 11 January 1987) is an English ultra-endurance athlete. 2017 Polar Row As part of the 2017 Ocean rowing#Arctic Ocean rowing, Polar Row expedition, Longman rowed across the Arctic Ocean with teammates Alex Gregory, Fiann Pa ...

, Alex Dumbrava and Roland Burr. The 4-man crew rowed from

Mangalia Mangalia (, ), ancient Callatis (; other historical names: Pangalia, Panglicara, Tomisovara), is a city and a port on the coast of the Black Sea in the south-east of Constanța County, Northern Dobruja, Romania. The municipality of Mangalia als ...

Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central Europe, Central, Eastern Europe, Eastern and Southeast Europe. It borders Ukraine to the north and east, Hungary to the west, Serbia to the southwest, Bulgaria to the south, Moldova to ...

Batumi Batumi (; ka, ბათუმი ), historically Batum or Batoum, is the List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), second-largest city of Georgia (country), Georgia and the capital of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara, located on the coast ...

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...

. The crew set a new world record for the fastest crossing of the

Black Sea The Black Sea is a marginal sea, marginal Mediterranean sea (oceanography), mediterranean sea lying between Europe and Asia, east of the Balkans, south of the East European Plain, west of the Caucasus, and north of Anatolia. It is bound ...

, with a time of 9 days, 18 hours and 5 minutes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Botterman, Gregg 1968 births Living people English rugby union players London Welsh RFC players Rugby union hookers Rugby union players from Welwyn Garden City Saracens F.C. players 20th-century English sportsmen