When I was about 15, I learnt that training hard doesn't get easier, you just learn to push harder. That's a powerful mentality to master.

In reality, rugby is finite and unpredictable, so players need to have skills off the pitch too.

A lot of people make the error of thinking rugby is going to last forever and they need to quickly discover that that isn't the case.

I think as a professional sportsman you're aware that your time is limited.

I've lost count of the times I've been asked what I do for a living. When I say rugby people say: 'Yes, but what's your other job?'

To stay at the elite end of professional sport you need to show an awful lot of dedication.

Matches aren't won on the training field and there is no point flogging experienced campaigners unnecessarily.

As a player you have to look after your body because no one else will. I'd rather be proactive than kowtow to everyone and be injured all the time.

As a schoolboy I can recall playing three games a week and not even feeling it.

International rugby is an unforgiving arena.

All players want nice things to be said and written about them and you have to take the reverse in equal measure.

I do not want to gain a reputation for lacking discipline because I always look to play within the laws.

It doesn't matter if you've got the best team in the world, you can't play rugby on your own try-line.

It's one thing to get beaten by a side who are a lot better than you, it's quite another to know you've thrown victory away in a game you should have won.

Fulfilling your ultimate childhood wish is a surreal experience.

Trust me, Stade is not a comfortable place to be if you're losing, regardless of the venue.

To be the best in the Heineken Cup or the Top 14 you've got to win home and away.

My favourite Heineken Cup memory as a player was undoubtedly sharing in Wasps' final triumph in 2007.

Going to Stade Francais will not just make me a better player but make me a better player for England.

In my limited experience, you have to make your own decisions in life and experience things for yourself.

Actions always speak louder than pre-match words.

At most grounds you're not particularly conscious of the crowd but in Cardiff, with the roof closed against a good Welsh team, the noise is impossible to ignore. It can be loud enough to put you off your game and the Welsh undoubtedly possess some of the most passionate fans in the world.

There is nowhere to hide as an international back-row forward.

If your form dips as a back-row forward, it is best to address the areas you know you're going to be heavily involved in.