One of my greatest achievements in my Wales career was lasting for 15 years as the squad’s laundry man. My role was to make sure that when we were away on tour, everyone’s washing got done. That came to an end following my retirement in 2023.
Now, it’s Dan Edwards who has taken over the job. Not only that, Dan is also a No 10 like me, and from Swansea having come through the system at the Ospreys.
The similarities are uncanny!
So, it was great to sit down with him at Wales’ team hotel in Nice on Tuesday to get to know him better. I hadn’t spoken to Dan before doing so. He’s a new face to the squad.
The first thing I had to tell him was about how seriously I took the laundry job and that I hoped he was doing the same! ‘I think it’s going OK,’ Dan told me.
‘I’m feeling a lot more confident day-by-day and getting to know everyone a lot better. I was very nervous first coming into the environment.
Dan Edwards (left) has inherited Dan Biggar’s role as Wales’ laundry man for the current side
Edwards made his debut in Wales heavy 43-0 defeat by France in the Six Nations curtain-raiser
Biggar sat down with his fellow fly half at Wales’ team hotel in Nice to get to know him better
‘I’ve just been trying to learn as much as possible from the experienced boys.’
Dan is now a full international after making his Wales debut last Friday night in the heavy 43-0 defeat by France. His Test bow also came in weirdly similar fashion to mine.
In November 2008, I came off the bench for my debut against Canada far earlier than planned after James Hook was injured. The same thing happened to Dan in Paris, when centre Owen Watkin went down with a knee problem and he came on with Ben Thomas moving to midfield. I never had the time to get nervous and it suited me well. It was the same for Dan.
‘I got on a lot earlier than I expected with Owen going off,’ he said. ‘I made a joke on the bench as if to say: “Here we go then” and then I was on.
‘It probably made things a little bit easier for me as I didn’t have time to think about it.
‘International rugby is a step up with the tempo of the game. The differences from club level are massive. I tend to be pretty confident on the field. Off the field, I’m different – calmer and quieter. With the Ospreys, I’ve taken quite a lot of confidence from the last 12 months.
‘Even though I’m new to the Welsh set-up and still learning, I want to put my stamp on things and play the way I want to play.
‘When you look at the players who have played in the 10 jersey before and speaking to you here now, you realise how big the shirt is. It’s the one everyone wants to wear.
Biggar’s debut in 2008 saw him thrown in earlier than expected with James Hook coming off
Edwards’ debut came under similar circumstances after a knee injury suffered by Owen Watkin
‘I know you have to be prepared to take some stick. People have different opinions. But it’s about having a rhino skin and just getting on with it. I need to do what I think is right.’
At 21, Dan is still very, very young. And he’s come into a Wales side that is struggling badly having lost their last 13 Tests – an unfortunate run which is a record for the country.
It’s a real contrast to when I came into the team.
I was hugely fortunate to enter a talented Welsh squad that was winning. That’s not the case now, but what I’ve heard about Dan is that he’s really got something about him.
He’s got a bit of swagger. A bit of an edge.
I love that. It’s something I’d like to think I had in my game and it’s undoubtedly true you need that to thrive at the highest level. What this Wales team needs now as much as good rugby players is big characters. It’s unfair to ask too much of Dan given he is still very young, but he can potentially be one of those in the future. So, what is his biggest strength?
‘Jesus Biggs! You’re putting me on the spot there,’ he said.
‘I’d say it’s my ability to forget a mistake and get on with it. As a 10, as you know, you can miss a kick and everyone will hammer you. But you need to put it to the back of your mind and move on. My attitude is that you have to take the shot.
Edwards has come into a Wales side that is struggling badly having lost their last 13 Tests
The young Welsh international has a swagger, a bit of an edge – something key to thriving in the international game
‘You’re not going to get it if you don’t try.’
Those sorts of words are music to my ears.
Dan is pushing hard to start at fly-half for Wales against Italy. It’s a must-win game for the team because if they were to lose, there’s a good chance it could be another winless Six Nations. Such a scenario would likely mean Warren Gatland will leave as coach.
There was good news for Wales from the Cote d’Azur on Tuesday, with key forwards Taulupe Faletau and Aaron Wainwright both in training ahead of facing Italy.
Faletau is one of Wales’ best ever but he missed the France game with a knee injury. His fellow back-row Wainwright suffered a serious facial cut against Les Bleus.
Wales hope both players will be available for Rome.
For me, the Italy-Wales game is a flip-of-the-coin tie. It promises to be really, really tight and it could go either way. Italy are favourites with home advantage.
‘Cwmavon is my home club. I played there since I was five,’ Dan told me. ‘I love the club and so does my family. I would play rugby at the weekends and cricket in the week.
Warren Gatland’s side travel to Rome in need of a result against Italy to kickstart their campaign
Taulupe Faletau is one of Wales’ best ever but he missed the France game with a knee injury
‘I’ve always loved my sport. With my cricket, I was a batsman and I did a bit of wicket keeping too. I had a few of the Cwmavon boys come to Paris, but they’re all in for Rome.
‘It would mean a lot to me personally and to my family to get the No 10 shirt.
‘It is something I’ve always wanted. I’m here in the squad now, but I’m still striving to make it my own. It’s a dream come true to be here, but I can’t just be happy with that. I’ve been watching for the last year and really felt for the boys.
‘I know how desperate they have been to win. We can’t be afraid. Our confidence has been a bit low, but we’ve got to get it right back up.
‘Warren has tried to give me confidence. He told me why he’s picked me in the squad and that he’s seen me improve in the last six months. He told me I’ve been picked for a reason.
‘We all know how massive a game it is this weekend. It’s not the position we want to be in, but it’s the elephant in the room and we can’t ignore it. We have to address it.
‘We can’t go into our shells and tighten up. We need to play with freedom. We’ve got to manage the game well but if it’s on to go, we have to go.
‘The most important thing this weekend is the result. It’s Test match rugby at the end of the day. We all know it’s about the outcome. We have to win. We have to.’
