MY LIFE IN RUGBY
After an enjoyable couple of years at both Ebbw Vale and Neath, I was fortunate enough to get a contract at Ospreys when regional rugby was introduced in 2003. We had two teams really, the one with all the big stars was referred to as the Marks & Spencer team and the one I played a lot of my rugby in was the Tesco’s version!
It may sound strange, but ours was the better team in the truest sense of the word as we weren’t able to rely on the individual brilliance of a Shane Williams or Gavin Henson, we had to work for each other to get results and there was never a drop-off in performance.
A case in point came when our coach Lyn Jones rested 11 ‘first-choice’ players and the squad members entrusted with the jersey came away from Bath with a memorable 31-24 win. I think we set a record that day with three different players – myself, James Hook and Stefan Terblanche – kicking drop-goals. A month later I was named man of the match when we beat Australia, a real purple patch in what was a thoroughly enjoyable five-season spell at the Ospreys.
Lyn has to take a lot of the credit for that with the way he coaches in allowing players to express themselves. There was a really good squad atmosphere and going into training was never a chore. It also helped that we both had a similar sense of humour.
With enjoyment came success, too. We reached consecutive Anglo-Welsh Cup finals, winning one, and also claimed a handful of league titles. The biggest shame was that we couldn’t quite translate that onto the European stage. My standout memory on that front came with Ebbw Vales when I kicked all 21 of our points in a famous win against Toulon in Toulon. I think we were the first side to win there in Europe.
An 85th minute penalty from London Irish’s Jarrod Cunningham, god bless him, also denied us a place in the 1999/00 European Shield semis.
Such experiences were a world away from when I made my senior debut as a 17-yearold for my hometown club Abertillery against Aberavon in 1993. I stood there, 11 stone, wet through, a quivering wreck at full-back waiting for the high balls to come my way out of the dark.
One thing I was extremely proud of from my time at the Ospreys was becoming only the second player and the first back to play 100 games for the region. I brought up my century in my last ever game, in a defeat away to Connacht in May 2008. No fairytale ending there, then!
With Dan Biggar coming on the scene and playing opportunities becoming few and far between, I left a year early and join the Dragons. I was 31/32 at the time and didn’t want to see out my time on the bench. Also, I’m from Gwent and I fancied playing under Paul Turner as he’d
“I was proud to become the first Ospreys back to play 100 games”
tried to sign me a few times previously. Under Paul, we punched well above our weight but, as time went on, it became a struggle.
I stayed on at Rodney Parade after hanging up my boots in 2010, coaching the Dragons and doing bits and pieces with the WRU until I was released last year. I was disappointed at the time but after a couple of months off I had a spell with Wales 7s before another opportunity to work with Lyn – he can’t escape me – came up with Russia.
Working with the Russian lads has been like a breath of fresh air and has helped remind me of everything that is good about the game. From not knowing what I was going to do last May, I’m now looking forward to being involved at a Rugby World Cup. It’s going to be an unbelievable experience.