Dan Biggar dosed up on painkillers to ensure he could play against England last weekend but nothing could numb the agony he felt after victory was snatched from Wales in the final moments.
Biggar, whose place had been under threat from his Ospreys colleague Sam Davies, defied discomfort to deliver a performance of total commitment, from the opening minutes when he forced a turnover near his own line to the closing stages when he prevented a try with an interception that should have provided Wales with the means to close out the game.
“It was painful to watch the match again and talk about it to other people,” says Biggar. “All the players were down on Sunday. If we had been outclassed by England, you could hold up your hands and say you were not good enough but, in my opinion, we deserved to win. I think even England would admit they were a tad fortunate but they played well in the final 10 minutes when we let it slip.
“We have to take the way we played into the match in Scotland next week because if we can replicate what we did for long periods of the game, we will have a massive chance of going on to clinch the title.
“Scotland are playing well and we have to take the game to them. We have not lost to them since 2007 but a number of the games have been very close. We are expecting a similar match to last weekend’s. If we do not win, we will have no chance of winning the championship and it is the same for them. It is a must-win game and we tend to perform well when our backs are against the wall.”
Biggar has been a fixture in Wales’s side for the past three years but, as they look to evolve their game and play with more width, he has come under pressure from Davies, who prefers to stand flatter at outside-half and bring his outside backs into play quicker. Biggar is a warrior who wears his heart on his sleeve and, although not a classical outside-half, he is one who invariably maximises his potential and never holds back.
“I feel my form has been good for Ospreys, who have been playing well this season,” he says. “Four or five years ago I would have been really down and worried about what people were saying but, as you get older and more experienced, you rely on a small circle of people whose opinions really matter. I am just enjoying the challenge and I tend to respond better when I am under a bit of pressure.
“I sacrificed everything to play against England. I was dosed up with as many painkillers and anti-inflammatory as possible during the week and had an injection before the game. I was up on the first few nights of the week, icing and doing whatever I could to ensure I was available for selection.
“I have worn the shirt for a few years now and am comfortable in it. I know the system and what goes on here and the coaches have been brilliant in allowing me to play my game and do what I do.
“If you want a fly-half who is going to make 25 breaks a game and bring the absolute X-factor, I’m probably not your man. But if you want someone who can steady the ship and do the basics well, then I hope I am the direction you want to go down. It’s about trying to bring the best out of people around me who are a lot more talented.
“I get on with Sam: he is a good bloke who has had a great last year. There is no issue with us and we share lifts. We enjoy pushing each other and Owen Williams [the other No10 in the Six Nations squad] has been a breath of fresh air who has learned a thing or two at Leicester outside the goldfish bowl that is Welsh rugby.”
Biggar says he has profited from the recruitment of Alex King as attack coach for the Six Nations campaign. “He has been first class. He has given us licence and we are looking to get the ball into the wider channels and it is nice to get the opinion of someone who has played at the top level and won a number of trophies. He has provided insight and been a real help.”
Wales, like Scotland, have made the most of the rest week following the opening two rounds of games. “The quality of the matches so far has been excellent,” says Biggar. “Those who argue that the Six Nations should be played over five weeks are clearly not players: how could we or Scotland expect to back up the intensity of last weekend? The rest weeks are key in keeping the standards that have been set this tournament high and I just want to play in what will be another massive game.”