Quantcast
Channel: South Wales Evening Post Latest Stories Feed
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 8986

Wales v England: Dan Biggar relishing a chance to take on the old enemy

$
0
0

DAN Biggar gives a revealing answer when he is asked about his abiding memories of matches between Wales and England.

"Jenks's conversion in 1999," he says without hesitation.

Anyone else recalling that game would mention Scott Gibbs's spectacular late try which gave Wales a remarkable comeback win, but Biggar instead chooses to focus on the subsequent conversion.

A spellbound nine-year-old watching the action at Wembley unfold from his living room in Gorseinon, Biggar was captivated not by Gibbs's dancing feet but by the metronomic boot of Neil Jenkins.

It was a nerveless kick from Wales's fly-half at the time, sealing a 32-31 Welsh victory which denied England a Grand Slam and making a lasting impression on the current holder of the No. 10 jersey.

"Gibbs's try was incredible but it would have mattered for very little if Jenks hadn't put the conversion over," says Biggar.

"Learning from people like Jenks (now an assistant coach with Wales) is an absolute privilege for me, something I will look back on when I retire and remember how I trained and worked under one of the absolute greats of Welsh rugby.

"It's great to have his input. With the amount of points he scored and games he won, it only helps us as kickers and players."

Following an injury to Rhys Priestland, Biggar was given his first Six Nations appearance on the opening weekend against Ireland.

The Ospreys man had a difficult afternoon as Wales suffered a galling 30-22 home defeat, but he has since grown into his role of first-choice fly-half.

His cross-field chip for George North's try the following weekend in Paris, for example, was perhaps the point at which Wales's Six Nations fortunes were transformed.

Rob Howley's men have turned their tournament around with successive victories away in France, Italy and Scotland, and they could win the Championship if they beat England by seven points or more tomorrow.

Doing so would cap a remarkable revival for the reigning champions and, with recollections of previous meetings between Wales and England swirling in his mind, Biggar is braced for the biggest game of his career.

"When you are playing in the Six Nations or in other internationals, your next game is your biggest game," he says.

"It's easy for people to say this isn't a big game; the fact of the matter is it is a big game. Barring the Grand Slams and the World Cup semi-final, for everyone in the squad it will probably be the biggest match they have faced. There's no getting away from that.

"But you can't go into your shell because it's a big game. You have to go out, express yourself and enjoy it.

"Wales-England is the game you always look for — when it is and what's going to be on it. It's a big rivalry, particularly as a kid.

"It was always a case of sitting down to watch it in the club with friends. It was always the one to watch.

"As good as the Six Nations is and as good as playing Scotland, Ireland, Italy and France is, England is always the one you're keen to be involved in and keen to watch."

This has been a tournament of firsts for Biggar; a first Six Nations appearance, a first shot at an international title and the first time he has started more than one match in succession for Wales.

An extended run in the national side has been a long time coming for the 23-year-old who, despite making his Wales debut in 2008, had only 11 caps to his name at the beginning of this campaign.

And although he has cemented his place in the starting line-up for now, Biggar still feels a little uneasy about calling the fabled Welsh No. 10 jersey his own.

"I don't think it's ever your own," he says.

"Hooky (James Hook) has been brilliant in training and, in the little bits he's come on, he's been excellent.

"It's difficult to call it your own when you've inherited it from someone who's injured. It's important I do my best tomorrow and keep challenging Rhys and Hooky when we're all available.

"It's difficult for me to comment on that, other than to say I've been lucky with the chance I've had.

"I feel I've done okay in the jersey and kept things ticking over nicely. It will be nice to challenge Rhys and Hooky when Rhys is fit."

Although he is a confident player and strident presence on the pitch, Biggar is disarmingly unassuming and friendly off the field.

Always engaging in conversation, one gets the impression that a reputation for cockiness bestowed upon him during his teens is gradually beginning to wear away.

Biggar certainly seems to have matured in recent years, both as a player and person.

He is still young at 23 but, having already amassed 120 appearances for the Ospreys, he also has a considerable amount of experience.

A number of those regional matches have been highly-charged affairs — play-off finals and Heineken Cup ties in particular — so tomorrow's encounter will hold no fear for Biggar.

Instead, the fly-half will remind himself of moments such as his ice-cool late conversion which sealed the Ospreys' magnificent Pro12 play-off final win over Leinster in Dublin last season.

Far from being inhibited by the occasion, Biggar will view Wales's opportunity to defend their Six Nations crown and simultaneously ruin England's hopes of a Grand Slam as a chance to shine.

"Those games stand you in good stead," he says of his significant matches for the Ospreys.

"Everyone in the team has played in big games and it stands us in good stead.

"This will be a different level again, but I'm the sort of person who likes these games.

"We're all looking forward to it rather than shying away from it.

"Sometimes, teams and players have shied away from big games, but I don't think that will happen this weekend. This side will relish the opportunity to go out and play."

Wales v England: Dan Biggar relishing a chance to take on the old enemy


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 8986

Trending Articles



<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>