It's rare enough as an older generation player that you're 100% fit - there's always something niggling.
Everyone has tests in their life. They come in lots of different forms. I had two or three together, which definitely challenged me as a person and as a sportsman. The big thing is how you react to those situations. You want to come out positively at the other end, and that's what I focused on doing.
Practise things you're good at. Keep on top of things you're not so good at, but be world-class at your best. Never think, 'I'm very good at this and that, I can leave those for a bit.'
I'm not privy to the English set-up, but at the academies in Ireland, there is a huge focus on the weights room as opposed to whether they can throw a 10-metre pass on the run. They should be rugby players becoming athletes, not athletes becoming rugby players.
In a team situation, I think the players are more inclined to give the answer they believe the psychologist is looking for rather than maybe being totally honest.
I had come across a few sports psychologists, and I had no time for nearly all of them. I just don't think they work in a team environment.
I was quite small as a kid and maybe a little afraid physically. When I grew into myself, the realisation changed. That when you hurt yourself, it's transient; it doesn't stay forever.
If you stick around long enough and you do enough of the right things, you get seen in a largely positive light.
There's ego in all of us rugby players.
Rugby gave me a confidence. I was quite shy and relatively timid, but it gave me the confidence to be a little bit more out-going and back myself a bit more.
Rugby takes its toll.
Before there was any chance to go to England, I changed schools, and it was rugby from there on in.
I just want to concentrate on my rugby and enjoy it and live in the moment.
I was a football fan before I became a rugby fan.
I've been a professional rugby player all my life; I don't really know anything different.
One thing I learnt early on my career is that personal gratification takes second place.
Team sports are very important for shaping personalities. It's important that kids understand the mentality behind playing team sports and playing for one another and playing with friends.
A physical therapist does some unbelievable stretching with me.
The victory is always sweeter... winning things with friends.
The great thing about playing team sport is you win and lose together, and the pain is never as bad when you share it.
