Grand Slam Man Read Free

He carried, tackled and hit so many rucks. He is a workaholic and did everything that was asked of him. He would have wanted to make his chance count, and he did. I thought he should have got the Man of the Match award.
    His form had also been awesome for both club and country in the last season. Whatever position they put him in, he always played well and of course he's such a good guy to have in the squad. He's been Welsh captain, he's a leader, and when he speaks all the boys listen.
    So I was very nervous about being selected for the next game against Scotland. You are never sure of your place in this Wales setup because there's so much competition. You've got to be on your toes the whole time. But that's a good thing. The strength and depth of the squad is great for the coaches. Whoever takes that jersey, they know they are going to perform because they are dying to wear it. And the guys know that if they don't perform there's someone else there that will!
    There's just such strength in depth now in all the positions in the Welsh team. When someone gets injured, another guy comes in, takes his place and is more than likely to have a storming game. Ryan did just that.
    Luckily, our head coach Warren Gatland gave me the nod when he read out the team to face Scotland in the second championship match. Ryan had been moved into the second row to replace Bradley Davies, who had been suspended, and I was back in at blindside flanker. I was relieved to say the least. I had my chance now, so I needed not just to have a good game, but a really good game. I was still carrying my ankle a bit. I had it all strapped up, and thankfully it lasted all right and I got a full game under my belt.
    So it was really a case of getting back into the groove. There is a big difference between playing regional rugby and Test match rugby, and it's a matter of getting up to speed. Once you get your first tackle out of the way, it's better.
    But it is tough when you have been out for a few weeks. I remember thinking at halftime, ‘God, I am feeling this already', but I managed to get through the rest of the game OK. The game was in the balance at halftime, but we pulled away after the break, with Leigh Halfpenny scoring two tries after the Scots had a couple of players sin-binned. Yellow cards are always crucial in the game. You've got to be squeakyclean these days and discipline is so important. We took advantage of those Scottish sinbins and really took control of the match.
    It's not the only time in the last year when we've come on strong in the second half. But it's not really a case of us changing our game or stepping up. We simply play the same game for eighty minutes. Maybe other teams drop off in the last ten minutes, which we used to in the past. But because we are so much fitter now, we just carry on playing the same game. So it looks as though we are stepping up in the last ten but we are not, it's the opposition falling away. Having that fitness in the tank gives you real selfbelief.
    We ended up winning 27–13, with Leigh having another game to remember, finishing with 22 points in front of a packed Millennium Stadium. And I was named Man of the Match!
    We were delighted with the win and with two victories under our belt, we were building real confidence for our next game, against England. You train hard with Wales, but it makes a difference when you are winning because there are smiles on your faces. Even if you are getting exhausted in training, it makes it worthwhile.
    Personally, I'd been happy enough with my performance, but you still end up hoping that you've done enough to get picked for the next game.
    I wasn't the only Wales player to have come back in against Scotland after injury. Our prop Gethin Jenkins had also missed the opening game out in Ireland, with Rhys Gill doing a good job on the loose head to provide more proof of our strength in depth. Gethin is the moaner in the camp, but I think that's what makes him who