I’M FULL OF BEANS
Lewis ensures Wales have right blend for England showdown
DILLON LEWIS is fuelling Wales for England at Twickenham on Saturday – and himself for another eccentric clash with Joe Marler – on an eyeballs-out diet of Fat Dragon.
The Cardiff prop, who closed out victory against Scotland 10 days ago with his injury-time turnover, doubles as a coffee wholesaler in his spare time.
And while Wales are naturally buzzing with England in their sights, Lewis has the squad’s base at the Vale Resort west of the Welsh capital well stocked with his house blend just in case.
“George North was the original coffee snob in the squad and he had a proper barista machine put into the team room so more and more self-proclaimed coffee connoisseurs appeared,” said Lewis.
“I managed to wangle it so that all the coffee that is supplied to the team room now is through Fat Dragon.
“The boys were hard to please at the start but we have finally got a thumbs-up from most of them now. We have a couple of house blends from Colombia and Vietnam and some seasonal rotations. It’s going really well and my business partner and I are having some fun with it.
“For me, it’s really good to switch off from rugby and do other things like this. The reality is that all of this could end at any moment so it’s good to have something else.”
A grande four-shot ristretto is a far cry from the traditional liquid of choice for a Welsh prop, but there is one thing that never changes ahead of a clash with England – the feeling of the hackles rising.
“It’s a culture thing in Wales,” said Lewis. “We are brought up with it and being told by our dads how much we love to beat the English, how much we hate the English. I don’t think anyone actually means it but we like the thought of hating the English!” While the Twickenham factor will make England favourites, the sight of the Barbours and the Range Rovers in the West Car Park will act like a red flag to a Welsh bull.
“It’s not quite Pontypridd, is it?” said Lewis. “The crowd does make a difference. There will be a lot of people in white jerseys all screaming for England to win. But that’s something I look forward to and I’m sure lots of others do as well.
“England is always a big game, no matter what tournament you play them in or at what level. The rivalry is huge.”
Lewis will be swapping snarls with Marler when the two are sprung from the bench in the second half on Saturday – or at least he would be if he could keep a straight face. Acting the hard man is easier said than done against the oddball Harlequin.
“I played against Joe just prior to the Six Nations at the Arms Park. At every scrum he was telling me how much he loved my moustache,” said Lewis.
“You look forward to that sort of chat. He’s a massive character with a big personality and it all adds to the game.”