Growing at Gower's tip, I felt a bit isolated from the rest of Wales.
For those who do not know, it is a quiet, beautiful and coastal area with many beaches. But there was no Rugby Club, Village Shop, Pub or Correos.
When you spent my childhood and the road ended, you went out to the sea. I mention this because where I was raised it had an impact on me. Because I felt separate from the rest of Wales to some extent, I did not feel particularly patriotic through my childhood and adolescence. Of course, I was Welshman.
But it was not something that I felt firmly in the early stages of my professional career with the Ospreys and even when I played for the first time for Wales.
All of that changed with a game: our 30-3 victory over England in 2013. It is 80 minutes that has understandably reduced in the folklore of Welsh rugby for several reasons.
But it made me realize exactly what it means to be a Welsh rugby player and the passion and the sense of union that he creates, especially when you are part of a successful team. It unites your teammates for life.
It is difficult to describe in many ways because the way in which the week changes in the Wales camp when England arrives in Cardiff is almost intangible
Everything goes up a bit. You notice a difference in the team room and in training
Our 30-3 victory over England in 2013. It is 80 minutes that has understandably been reduced in the folkby of Welsh rugby for several reasons
It is difficult to describe in many ways because the way in which the week changes in the Wales camp when England arrives in Cardiff is almost intangible. But certainly changes.
Everything goes up a bit. You notice a difference in the team and training room. There is much more interest in the media. Suddenly, when you are in Tesco getting some milk on your day off, more people want to stop and talk about the game. They seem more knowledgeable.
The week that accumulates until that game in England 2013 summarized everything for me. In training, everything was exacerbated by 10 percent. Many people think it is about overcoming England for Wales and nothing more matters.
Do not be misunderstood, there is an element of truth for that! But during our golden years of success, that was not the case. It was about winning the six nations.
In 2013, the two joined. It was the game more of Wales-England that you could get, with so much at stake. England went for the Grand Slam, we for the title.
The Welsh anthem that day was simply incredible. Spinet. He filled me with the patriotic fervor that had lacked during my childhood. There is no better feeling.
I knew it was going to be a good day in the morning of the game. He simply felt different. From Monday to Friday, the team's room is a jovial place. There is music at full volume and everyone laughs and jokes. Players play darts or pool to relax. Normally, the day of the game is different.
It's more tense. But that morning, I remember coming to breakfast and the music was still at full volume and the pool table and the darts were still being used.
The week that accumulates until that game in England 2013 summarized everything for me. In training, everything was exacerbated by 10 percent
I knew it was going to be a good day in the morning of the game. He felt different
Even to this day, I remember the multitudes of people who cover the streets when we got into Cardiff: 30 up to more or more
Even Leigh Halfpenny achieved half a smile, which is the maximum that you could ask him in the morning of a game, since it was always a nervous disaster!
Our walk was sharp and in point. The bus trip to the mainity Stadium was incredible. When we left the highway, the televisions fell and reproduced a video gathered by Wales analysts.
The assembly was from our best moments in the championship that year so far with the Melody of Eminem. Be lost. He made the juices flow!
Even to this day, I remember the multitudes of people who cover the streets when we put ourselves in Cardiff: 30 up to more. The whole day was ridiculously special.
Everyone knows how the game was. It is definitely one of the most memorable in my career, along with the victory of England in the 2015 World Cup. Only bright moments.
The nature of the game meant that we could relax in the last 10 minutes. Jamie Roberts and Alex Cuthbert even began to plan the night! It was a great night in Revs, Cardiff.
But for me, the best moment was to celebrate in the locker room. I remember looking around and seeing how happy they were all. If I could bottling a feeling of my career and taking it with me everywhere, it would be everything. It is what Beating England can do for you.
In 2013, it was my first real experience of Wales-England in Cardiff. And it is the same for many of the current Wales team this year.
The nature of the game meant that we could relax in the last 10 minutes. Jamie Roberts and Alex Cuthbert even began to plan the night!
If I could bottling a feeling of my career and taking it with me everywhere, it would be everything. This is what Beating England can do for you
Clearly, it is very different from 12 years ago with Wales at the bottom of the six nations without Victoria. But talking with the boys in the camp, there is already a different sensation in the game. Play England in Cardiff brings an additional 10 percent of you as a Welshman.
And if that happens this weekend, it could be really powerful for players.
It will help them a lot, no doubt. Wales can treat this as a unique game and really go for it. We all know that the general panorama is that Wales has lost 16 tests in a row.
This may sound strange, but the beauty of Wales-England is that players can almost forget that for 80 minutes. That could free them. I think Wales has an opportunity.
What they have to do is keep the game tight during the first hour and then use the factor of the Stadium of the Principality to take them on the line. The atmosphere, I am sure, will be incredible.
It was because of the defeat of Ireland. Wales needs more than the local crowd.
But they also have to play their role. What Wales cannot do is be impressed in the first 50 minutes as they were in Scotland. It was a half -weather game in Edinburgh. There can be no repetition of that.
It cannot minimize how intimidating is that the teams play under the roof of the Principality stadium. There is no doubt that currently England is a better team than Wales. But they are a good side, it's not great. Wales can look for them.
The last Royal Party with England in Cardiff in my opinion was 2019, the year we won a Grand Slam
That was another special day for Wales and this weekend it can be the same
I am feeling a great occasion because it feels like the first time we have an adequate game of Wales-England in our hands in years.
In 2023, we had threatened to attack as Wales players and the game had a strange atmosphere about it. Some people didn't want to be there. In 2021, it was Covid and the ground was empty.
The last Royal Party with England in Cardiff in my opinion was 2019, the year we won a Grand Slam. That was another special day for Wales and this weekend it can be the same.
I am sure that players will want to send Matt Sherratt to a stop after his period as an interim coach
I am sure that players will want to send Matt Sherratt to a stop after his period as an interim coach too. A victory of Wales would definitely deny England the title.
But I think it would be a bad service for the six nations if it were not France or Ireland who won the championship because clearly, it is the two best teams.
This year he has shown me again that the six nations have three levels: France and Ireland at the top, England and Scotland in the middle, and Italy and Wales at the bottom.
But that does not mean that there can be no discomfort along the way. If Wales can take advantage of the 2013 spirit, it can be another famous weekend for the country and provide a very necessary joy.