Rugby World UK – August 2019

Life in Pictures

WARRIORS SPIRIT

“Class. We played Ulster in

the Pro12 semi and Finn (Russell)

threw an incredible pass to DTH

van der Merwe to score in the

corner and nailed the conversion.

“The fi nal was a chance to make

up for the year before when I was

dropped. I had a lot of making up

to do to show the fans and the

LIONS DEN

“That’s pure disappointment

you’re looking at. This was after

the Lions played the Brumbies.

I played at ten, missed two kicks

at goal and we lost 14-12. I got

subbed off after an hour.

“It was only the second time I’d

played ten in my life and I knew it

was my last chance of getting a

place in the Test squad. I knew

it was over at that stage. I was

sitting beside Jamie Roberts and

he was saying, ‘Don’t worry about

it, these things happen to us all’.

“I was devastated but I got a

few weeks on the beer – and I

knew for sure that I’m not a ten,

so some good came out of it.”

IN THE CLEAR
“That’s me intercepting
against Italy at Murrayfi eld in the
2013 Six Nations. They could
have scored down our end and

then I managed to pick off a pass

and score down their end.

“My running style was awful. No

knee lift. I did a running session

with Sean Lamont afterwards.”

2013

2015

2013

players and the management how

much this club meant to me.

“There are not many times I’ve

thought at half-time a game’s done

but the fi nal against Munster was

one. We played brilliant rugby and

they were dead on their feet.

“It’s hard to describe the feeling

of fi nally winning a trophy – joy,

relief, pride. So many things.”