“The hour and a half before a game is probably the worst time. The anticipation is terrible. There’s nothing to think about apart from what’s going on around you. You can here the opposition fans shouting – sometimes it can really unsettle you.”
His comments were mirrored by fellow former Wales captain, Rob Howley, who re-called the last minutes before their famous 32-31 triumph over England at Wembley Stadium.
“We could here to boos when England started warming up but I’ve been on the receiving end as well,” he said. “Sometimes you can hardly hear yourself think. It’s very off-putting and for guys like England’s centres, Jamie Noon and Mathew Tait, it will be something they have never come up against before.”