DAN BIGGAR: Wales’ Rugby World Cup gets off to the perfect start, taking local recommendations from Aaron Ramsey… and choosing my wife over Prince William!
As a Wales team we are in a good place after wins over Fiji and Portugal. From meeting Prince William and receiving texts from Siya Kolisi to picking Aaron Ramsey’s brain, it’s been a busy week in the Nice sun.
SUNDAY
Prince William was in our dressing room after the win over Fiji. When I got in, I had had three missed calls from my wife, Alex, but I thought it was going to be quite awkward if I had to cut off my conversation with the future king!
Alex was on the phone again and I left it until the last minute to answer because I was talking to William.
When there was silence, I said, “I’m really sorry, my wife is calling and she’s outside and wants to say hello.” William said, “Your wife is much more important than me, go ahead.”
Prince William was in our dressing room after the match against Fiji (photo, with head coach Warren Gatland)
We asked him what he thought about Josh Adams’ large chest tattoos, but we didn’t get much to eat!
We’ve met him a few times and he’s always great with the guys. He told us that his children are watching a lot of rugby at the moment.
We asked him what he thought about Josh Adams’ large chest tattoos, but we didn’t get much to eat!
MONDAY
I woke up to a voice message from Cheslin Kolbe saying that Siya Kolisi had asked for my contact information. Later I opened a WhatsApp from an unknown number. It was Siya. His message read: “Hey brother, hope you’re doing well. I just wanted to say, well done to you and your boys. I enjoyed your passion for the game. All the best for the rest of the tournament.’
When I got that message from someone like him, I felt like a million dollars. I listen to that more than some ex-players trying to keep themselves relevant!
We traveled from Bordeaux to Nice on a chartered flight. I have been living with Tomas Francis since 2015. He brings pick and mix to the party! He is well organized and as soon as we get somewhere else he moves the beds so we get as much space as possible.
When I got a message from South African captain Siya Kolisi, I felt like a million dollars
TUESDAY
We had a bit of recovery at sea and then a review of the units. It felt like the media reaction was a bit negative in the days after the win over Fiji, with talk of us being lucky.
I thought the coaches got it right in the review. There was a clip of Fiji’s second try, with Nick Tompkins just a little too chased in defence. Nick said, “I didn’t know what the hell I was doing.” That broke the ice!
Matt Dawson sent me a very nice message. It read: ‘I like the way you held players accountable. That’s what you have to do!’ It made me realize that when I receive messages from World Cup winners like Dawson and Kolisi, I must be doing something right.
Warren Gatland named the team for Portugal and there was some hiccups in the afternoon session.
WEDNESDAY
My body had just about recovered from the Fiji game! Yesterday I only ran a little because my back was bothering me. We practiced drop goals, especially after seeing George Ford. His performance was one of the best I’ve ever seen.
THURSDAY
We have just moved to a new house in Toulon, where I play club rugby. It was nice to come home on our day off. We watched the France and Uruguay match and played Gin Rummy. I got £20 off Gareth Davies. Our card school is divided into groups. There’s the ‘Premier League’ – me, Liam Williams, Gareth, Henry Thomas and Tomos Williams. Gareth Anscombe sometimes sneaks in. Then the ‘Championship’: Aaron Wainwright, Tomas, Adam Beard and Dewi Lake. In the ‘Conference’ it is Rio Dyer, Louis Rees-Zammit and the young children.
We Welsh stick together! Former Nice player Aaron Ramsey has shared tips about the city
Those of us who didn’t play on race day did a weights session in the morning and some bike work
We were relieved when we got the bonus point which gives us 10 points out of 10. If you had offered that a few weeks ago, we would have bitten your hand off
FRIDAY
Aaron Ramsey played football for Nice and he was my PA this week. We Welsh stick together! I can only apologize to him because he must be tired of my name showing up on his phone. I asked for recommendations so I owe him a nice bottle of red.
I brought a hairdresser from Toulon and some guys want to fine me because they are not happy with their trim work
SATURDAY
Match day. Those of us who weren’t playing did a weights session and some bike work in the morning, then I warmed up with the team as normal. It was quite a strange match. We struggled to gain much control of the game which was frustrating and some of their backs were electric. We were relieved when we got the bonus point which gives us 10 points out of 10. If you had offered that a few weeks ago, we would have bitten your hand off.