Shane: For the Love of the Game


Shane: For the Love of the Game

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-COMMENTATOR:

-On his very last appearance in international rugby,

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Shane Williams will lead Wales out onto the Millennium Stadium.

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I remember coming out on my final game thinking,

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"I'm not going to have this again.

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"I'm not going to go out to the stadium

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"and have the whole crowd standing up

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"and singing the anthem and chanting our names."

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That was almost as sad as realising that I was giving up rugby.

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December 2011,

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Wales against Australia at the Millennium Stadium,

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and all eyes are on Shane Williams.

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They have come to say goodbye to a favourite son,

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every one of them willing the mercurial winger

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to score a final try and sign off in style.

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In the last seconds of his last game for Wales,

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and with his very last touch of the ball,

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he delivers the fairy-tale ending.

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Williams! He's going to do it!

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He's going to go out with a flourish.

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Last game, last try.

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Shane Williams, off in style.

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And it's goodbye to the Welsh stage

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for Shane Williams.

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How much has it meant to you to wear this jersey?

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It's meant everything. That's the only thing you want to do

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when you play in Wales.

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I have been very privileged and lucky to have had the chance.

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I've had the best time of my life.

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Shane ended his career in 2015,

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playing in Japan for the Mitsubishi Dynaboars.

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Now home in the Amman Valley,

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he has had to adapt to a life outside of the game.

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I had to start again. Completely bizarre.

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I get up on a Monday morning and I've got absolutely nothing to do.

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Roly-poly!

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I decided then, "Right, OK. I've got to do something."

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When rugby is all you've known,

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how do you replace the rush of competitive sport?

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He's strong, isn't he?

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Can you put it, "to Shane, lots of love."

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Looking very handsome.

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You'd spend your whole life trying to chase it again.

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So you've to go and find something else that floats your boat.

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I tried my best to retire, tried my best to give it up completely

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and I just couldn't do it...

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Oh, it feels awesome. Sorry, I had a whack in the chops.

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..and that's why I'm back.

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When his rugby career ended,

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Shane returned to his home in the Amman Valley

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and the routines of family life.

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I'm not a celeb dad at the school gates, because everyone knows me.

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I've grown up in this area.

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I played rugby up in Brynamman, in the school where the kids go.

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It is great for me to have the opportunity to pick them up.

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I've been in Japan for the last three years

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and I've missed out a little bit on the kids growing up

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and I've been the dad who comes and

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gets involved in sports days and comes to pick the kids up

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and so on, so I'm enjoying it.

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-Hi!

-Hey, boy, all right?

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Apart from Japan, we've never really strayed anywhere.

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We tried them in school out there but there was very little English.

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We just struggled, especially when he went away for the weekend playing

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and then we'd have an earthquake and I just...

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Yeah, I felt lonely, I think.

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Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.

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Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.

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Hold on. Rock, paper, scissors, shoot.

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That is 2-0. See ya. Get in goal.

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Ready?

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God, every time I used to come home from Japan,

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Georgie was an inch taller.

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Carter's face, facial expressions and his face was changing.

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And I just found it really bizarre

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and I felt like every time I came home, it was taking a while for us

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to get to know each other again.

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You kicked that, not me!

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Header, Georgie. Header!

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When I was growing up, my father was a long-distance lorry driver

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so I'd perhaps see him two or three times a month.

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And when he was coming home, he was tired.

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I didn't want the kids to miss me all the time either.

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Georgie, if you open your mouth any more,

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you're going to swallow the ball.

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But now...I took the kids to school this morning.

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Carter's got rugby training tomorrow.

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Georgie's going up to do the horses and I can be there for that now.

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So it's nice that I can manage my time

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and I can spend a bit more time with them.

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I'm glad the whole rugby fame thing is over

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so we can settle down to a quieter life.

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Shane was born in Morriston Hospital, Swansea, in 1977.

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The first thing I remember is rugby.

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And obviously when my brother came along,

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I kind of roped him into it as well.

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Growing up, we kind of just got into rugby through school.

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Fell in love with it and just kept doing it because we enjoyed it.

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-All right, cheers.

-Thank you.

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It wasn't only rugby that blossomed in the Amman Valley.

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I lived in Glanamman, right down the bottom. You were up here.

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And I used to walk all the way up to the Half Moon

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and phone you from the bottom of the road

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because I didn't want to go up because I was scared of your father.

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THEY LAUGH

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You had to chase me for ages.

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-I didn't have to chase you for ages!

-It was, like,

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'96 by the time I went out with you.

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He was so shy, weren't you?

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I was playing hard to get. I didn't want to chase you too much.

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And you looked really young. I thought you were about 14.

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Yeah. Pulled you the first night I met you, so...

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Pulled me?!

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As they say.

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-SOFTLY:

-Disgusting.

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Shane and Gail married on December 23rd 2005.

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The good thing with Gail is that she doesn't really care

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that I was a rugby player.

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She doesn't really care what I've achieved.

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You know, I'd come home and we'd have won our Six Nations match

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and Gail would be like, "How did it go today? Did you win?"

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I'm thinking, "You are probably the only person in Wales

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"that doesn't know the result of today's match."

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-So are you going to play golf with me or...?

-No.

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Where are you going to find time to play golf?

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How are you going to fit that in with Loose Women,

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Housewives Of New York and...what else is there?

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-Kardashians.

-Kardashians.

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-How are you going to fit that in with golf?

-Shut up.

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Right.

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Although Shane's days as a professional player are over...

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..rugby still offers up opportunities as a pundit.

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This is what I'm going to be doing from now on, so I get excited

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to do this because I know that I'm not going to be playing today.

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It's match day. Any excuse, really, to come to a Welsh match.

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I am there.

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Shane Williams!

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We don't take the Japanese lightly. I think Wales did that last time.

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They're a very good side and they will want to play some rugby.

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They've got a point to prove today as well.

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And Wales, I think, will know that

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and that's why they've got the experience, plus the youngsters.

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The line that's separating us at the moment

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from the pitch is a sacred place.

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You know, I can't just get on that field when I want.

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Everything I've achieved and everything I've done,

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good and bad, I suppose, has been on that side of the grass.

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For me, rugby has been my life and I miss it, I miss it terribly.

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You know, I miss playing in the Millennium Stadium.

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I miss changing in the changing rooms with the lads before the game,

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didn't matter what game it is.

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It's simple, you don't get it back.

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You don't and I'll never get it back and I realise that

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and I kind of appreciate it... what it was, now, a lot more.

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Alex Cuthbert in pursuit.

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-Alex Cuthbert is going to score!

-Oh!

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-Loses it!

-Oh!

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If he'd have put his foot down straight away...

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-VOICE OVER:

-One of the things I found really hard when I started

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was speaking about the guys you played rugby with,

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trying to be positive all the time,

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because even your mates make mistakes

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and you've got to speak about them and how they performed on the field

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and sometimes they don't play well.

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They hate to hear it, and I hated to hear it, but it does happen.

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So there's a fine line between, you know, criticising

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and being a bit positive, how you speak about these guys.

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And I find that really difficult.

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When I got on the rugby field, I was a different animal.

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You know? I wanted to express myself, I wanted to show off.

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I became a showman, I suppose.

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Without rugby, I would be a completely different person.

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The TV career is a side-line for Shane.

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His day-to-day job is working alongside Gail in the family firm,

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an animal feed and heating oil business based in the village.

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-Morning.

-Morning.

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I started up with my brother-in-law Andrew

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and my father-in-law Sean.

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We've got Craig. Obviously, Gail heavily involved.

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When I tell people that I have an oil company,

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I think they assume that I've struck oil in the Amman Valley

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and it's under my house somewhere. Unfortunately, that's not the case.

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Oh, yeah, Shane does a lot in the business,

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gets his hands really dirty.

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Picking pens up, especially if they're leaking,

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that will be really dirty, and telephones,

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you can have really dirty telephones.

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In a nutshell, it's delivering oil

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to local housing estates, local houses.

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It's the same as a rugby team, I suppose -

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if one person doesn't chip in on the field,

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it can affect the whole team, really,

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and that's why we work well together here.

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Gail, are you going to pick up your kids?

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-You're a hell of a

-BLEEP

-today. He's...

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There's no food for you tonight, I'm telling you now.

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HE LAUGHS

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We're kind of all on the journey together, if you like.

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And, for Shane, I think he's happy to have something to do.

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It's perfect really - I don't have to clock in,

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I don't have to clock out. I can manage it myself.

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Shane started playing rugby for Amman United in 1998

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and within a few months he was spotted by Neath,

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who offered him £7,500 a year to play for them.

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There's players there that would snap me in half

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if they got hold of me - what am I doing here?

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I was quick, I was agile, went out on the field, expressed myself.

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And it kind of worked for me, really.

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CHEERING

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WHISTLE BLOWS

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His dynamic style led to a call-up to the Welsh team in February 2000.

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Well, we've heard a lot about this lad.

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He's just 22 years old and he gets his first cap,

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that's out of the Neath club

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so they'll be thrilled down at the Gnoll about that.

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Shane had gone from playing for his village club

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to getting his first international cap in just 18 months.

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In his second game for Wales, he scored.

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The little pass to Taylor.

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Shane Williams. What a dream.

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And he's raised the roof in the Amman Valley.

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And Wales have a new hero.

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It was the first of 58 tries for his country

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and the start of a legendary run in the red shirt.

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It's not easy for any sportsman to give up.

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There's a fork in the road when you've retired,

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and the easiest one is to stay in rugby, become a coach.

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And there's the other direction, you completely move away from rugby.

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If he was to enjoy retirement, Shane would need a new challenge.

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I did the London Marathon for charity.

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When someone said, "You've got to run 26 miles,"

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I thought, "This is not going to happen.

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"It's going to take me a day to do this,"

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because my background was sprinting.

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And I remember thinking, "I'm never going to be able to do this."

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The other side of me was also saying,

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"It's a hell of a challenge if you do actually do this."

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CAR HORN TOOTS

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Then after that, a friend of mine asked me if I would like to do

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a triathlon for his charity,

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and I just kind of agreed to it after a pint

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and didn't think anything of it.

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It was only a few weeks later when Shane went online

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that he realised what he had actually signed up for.

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1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike

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and then a half-marathon to finish.

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I really thought, "Jesus, what have I done now? This is ridiculous."

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It does take over our life a bit when he's training

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because he does put 100% effort into everything he does, you know.

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It's all about just enjoying the experience of triathlons.

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I'm not going to be a rugby player ever again. Those days are gone.

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Shane might have swapped rugby for triathlons,

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but there is still one member of the Williams family

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keen to pull on some rugby boots -

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Shane's son, Carter.

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Follow him! Follow him!

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Hands up, Carter. Carter, go on the outside, boy.

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You're going through the middle, everyone's in the middle.

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I've gone on the field to help him with the coaching side of it

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and he's ushered me to the side and told me, "Dad, you've had your time,

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"now this is my time." So I realised then, OK,

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I'm going to have no influence on this guy whatsoever

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when it comes to rugby.

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Roly-poly.

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Pop if you want. Good boy.

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That's it.

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Spending time with Carter,

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teaching him to kick with his left foot because he's all right foot

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or showing him how to pass both ways

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rather than only being able to pass one way,

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getting him to learn how to tackle,

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cos he hasn't played tackle until this year.

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The little things, just learning the personalities.

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When you're away for six months of the year and you come back,

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and you're spending time with kids,

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you feel like you're kind of learning all over again.

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Good running, boy. Don't worry. Have a break.

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I think he is in for a bit of a rough ride, really.

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They'll be comparing him to Shane I think, so...

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They already talk about, "Oh, has he got your step, is he quick?

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"Can he do this?" And whatever.

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And I'm thinking, I hope he doesn't get this all the way through school.

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Go on, straight. Carter, get ready!

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I'm not going to be one of these dads that is going to push them.

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I'm not a competitive dad.

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Carter!

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WHISTLE BLOWS

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Well done, good game.

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Well done, boy. Good game.

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Well done, Carter.

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Good try, boy.

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With rugby training done for today,

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it's time for Shane to get some coaching of his own -

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in the art of refuelling.

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Don't put the heating too high now or I'll be sleeping.

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Not with all the work you've got.

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I've been out a couple of times in the lorry,

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it's not my main job, but it's good fun as well.

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It's a good way of meeting existing clients

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and making sure everybody is happy as well,

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because we want to keep them, at the end of the day.

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We started off with one truck with a 1,000-litre tank.

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Within four years, we've got five or six trucks on the road.

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For me, personally, it's about competing against the big lads,

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the big boys. We're a small fish in a big pond

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and we're really holding our own. I enjoy that.

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-Is it pumping?

-I've got to reach first, I am only small.

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Having Shane along has been rather hectic because he's a bit too fast.

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I don't normally go that fast.

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-Another one bites the dust.

-There you are.

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-All right?

-Another one done.

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At work, Shane is one of the boys.

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His customers, however, can still get starstruck.

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That's Clem, I'm Shane. Nice to meet you.

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I know! It's lovely to meet you, Shane.

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What I will do with the company is,

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obviously I meet and greet customers.

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I saw your picture with Dan Lydiate and Jamie Roberts

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so it's nice to have a picture with someone your own size.

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-That's true.

-I go to people's houses who've been with us for some time,

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and have a coffee and have a chat.

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And I love that more than anything else, really.

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-Just sign there, please.

-Thank you.

-Put it "to Shane, lots of love".

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He is one of my heroes.

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What can you say when you meet a hero?

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You don't often get a chance to meet somebody like that,

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especially if you're a Welsh rugby fanatic.

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-Take care.

-Cheers, Shane.

-Ta-ra.

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After months of punishing endurance training,

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and not a rugby ball in sight,

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it's time for Shane to tackle this next challenge -

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the Ocean Lava Triathlon.

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-Good morning, you all right?

-Yeah, good.

-We meet again.

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Yes, I'm back.

0:18:140:18:16

Doing the middle distance, Shane, yeah?

0:18:160:18:18

-Middle distance.

-As in...

-Oh, sorry, yeah. Sorry, I'm new to this game.

0:18:180:18:23

My brother's doing it and I've managed to rope Brian Jones in.

0:18:250:18:28

Ian Gough is doing it.

0:18:280:18:29

Plus a couple of other ex-players that have been there, done it.

0:18:290:18:33

-Got the nerves?

-Proper, proper nerves.

0:18:330:18:36

Much worse than playing the All Blacks.

0:18:360:18:39

I want to beat people. My brother's running, I want to beat my brother.

0:18:390:18:42

He wants to beat me. And I can't help that, I'm sorry,

0:18:420:18:45

that's ingrained inside me.

0:18:450:18:48

The competitive edge may be familiar,

0:18:480:18:50

but this event has taken Shane completely out of his comfort zone.

0:18:500:18:53

The race is on, bring it on.

0:18:530:18:55

When I was playing rugby, I was told exactly what I was eating,

0:18:560:18:59

the drinks and everything was prepared for me

0:18:590:19:02

and it was just about eat it

0:19:020:19:03

and you become a better rugby player.

0:19:030:19:05

Now I've got to fend for myself.

0:19:050:19:07

And Shane's finding it all a bit of a challenge.

0:19:080:19:11

Anyone selling bottles? I've left my bottle at home.

0:19:130:19:17

It's a schoolboy error for the former international superstar.

0:19:180:19:22

Luckily, other competitors are better prepared.

0:19:220:19:25

Paul, I'm all right, boy. Diolch. Yeah.

0:19:250:19:29

Just too many things to think about for a rugby player anyway.

0:19:290:19:32

With the race about to start, the butterflies begin to kick in.

0:19:340:19:38

Yeah, nerves setting in.

0:19:380:19:41

It's always scary at the start,

0:19:410:19:42

because the swimming is going to be tough, really.

0:19:420:19:45

A lot of people swimming over the top of each other but...

0:19:450:19:48

People like that as well probably swimming over the top of you.

0:19:510:19:55

So it's not going to be fun, but, no, it is exciting.

0:19:550:19:57

Can't wait for it to start now.

0:19:570:19:59

I don't think he would have coped very well just retiring,

0:19:590:20:02

doing nothing, not doing a sport,

0:20:020:20:04

so I think this has saved him, in a way.

0:20:040:20:07

HOOTER BLARES

0:20:070:20:08

Retirement robbed Shane of the buzz of competition,

0:20:100:20:13

of a goal to work towards.

0:20:130:20:15

This is the closest he has got since giving up rugby.

0:20:150:20:19

So many things go through your mind, "Am I going quick enough?

0:20:190:20:22

"Is my brother ahead of me?"

0:20:220:20:24

I found the swim the worst, to be honest.

0:20:240:20:27

Couple of elbows going astray.

0:20:270:20:29

But despite the pain,

0:20:310:20:33

Shane is determined to cross the finish line ahead of his brother.

0:20:330:20:37

Found the bike all right. Pushed a bit too hard.

0:20:370:20:39

The first mile on the run, I felt like I was about 20st.

0:20:420:20:45

It was really difficult. I had my brother right on my tail, as well.

0:20:450:20:49

Secretly, yeah, competing against Shane.

0:20:490:20:51

I beat him on the first race but that's about it now.

0:20:510:20:54

I can't catch him.

0:20:540:20:56

After five hours and 21 minutes, Shane crosses the line.

0:20:580:21:02

There are no action replays,

0:21:020:21:04

no fireworks, no crowds singing his name,

0:21:040:21:07

but he does still have a team to celebrate with.

0:21:070:21:09

-ALL:

-Yay!

0:21:110:21:13

One team, in particular, is very important to Shane.

0:21:180:21:21

Rugby is massively ingrained in me.

0:21:230:21:25

It's ingrained because of where I live, it's a massive rugby town.

0:21:250:21:29

The rugby field and the rugby club itself -

0:21:290:21:32

probably the heart of the whole valley.

0:21:320:21:34

The triathlon was a test but it didn't fill the hole left by rugby.

0:21:370:21:41

Little wonder that, despite his best efforts,

0:21:410:21:44

he has been drawn back to the smell of the changing rooms

0:21:440:21:47

and the roar of the crowd, albeit as a coach.

0:21:470:21:51

What are we doing, boy?

0:21:510:21:53

Amman struggled last year,

0:21:530:21:54

I think the league was a little bit too strong for them.

0:21:540:21:57

A couple of the older,

0:21:570:21:59

more-experienced players had finished, so they have had a tough

0:21:590:22:02

couple of seasons, really.

0:22:020:22:04

Shane has been asked to help out the new coaching team of Karl and Tony,

0:22:050:22:08

who are trying to revive Amman United's fortunes.

0:22:080:22:12

We've come down to Division Three, back to a local league,

0:22:120:22:15

which is good for us because of the crowds we get.

0:22:150:22:18

And Shane, obviously, British Lion,

0:22:180:22:19

should be doing well in Division Three.

0:22:190:22:21

Concentrate on holding the ball.

0:22:210:22:23

Right, no matter where it goes, just hold the ball.

0:22:230:22:25

It didn't take much persuasion, to be honest.

0:22:250:22:27

He's always been a valley boy, obviously. He loves the club.

0:22:270:22:30

All his mates are playing here.

0:22:300:22:33

I used to be captain of the Amman and I'd ask Shane,

0:22:340:22:36

"Can you come down, do a session?"

0:22:360:22:38

If training was at six o'clock,

0:22:380:22:40

Shane would be there at half-past five, setting up.

0:22:400:22:42

You would finish training at eight o'clock,

0:22:420:22:44

he might stay there till half-past eight.

0:22:440:22:46

That's his nature. His nature is, whatever he does,

0:22:460:22:48

he will go that extra mile for you.

0:22:480:22:51

I think we're having about 45 players training.

0:22:510:22:53

You know, for a small, local club that's absolutely unbelievable.

0:22:530:22:56

There is no denying it, with someone like Shane training, the youngsters

0:22:560:22:59

are going to turn up, you know. So, yeah, fantastic.

0:22:590:23:01

It's not only coaching Shane is trying his hand at.

0:23:120:23:15

The rugby legend is about to host his first public-speaking event and

0:23:150:23:18

is feeling a bit like a fish out of water.

0:23:180:23:21

So he's turned to friend and actor Julian Lewis Jones for advice while

0:23:210:23:25

shark-fishing in West Wales.

0:23:250:23:27

Another first for Shane.

0:23:270:23:30

Yeah, I'm dreading these awards I've got to do, it's hosting.

0:23:300:23:33

-Have you done hosting before?

-No. And it's in Merthyr.

-And it's in Merthyr?

-It's in Merthyr.

0:23:330:23:37

-Tough crowd.

-If you don't get it right there, you get accosted.

0:23:370:23:40

Yeah. Exactly. My main sort of thing is just take your time.

0:23:400:23:44

I'll give it a go. It's only now I'm getting to like public speaking.

0:23:440:23:48

Yeah. It's like anything, the more you do it, the more relaxed you are.

0:23:480:23:52

I suppose you've got to get the first one done, haven't you?

0:23:520:23:54

-Yeah.

-If you're going to do it, you've got to do it in Merthyr.

-Exactly!

0:23:540:23:58

Yeah. Remember, the first thing you say is, "Hello, Merthyr!"

0:23:580:24:03

-Yeah, I will.

-All right?

-Yeah.

0:24:030:24:05

That's a tip from the top, all right?

0:24:050:24:07

-Hello, Merthyr.

-Hello, Merthyr!

0:24:070:24:09

I'll write that down.

0:24:090:24:12

As the rookie on the trip, Shane has the job of preparing the shark bait,

0:24:120:24:16

which means mashing up a lot of rotten fish.

0:24:160:24:19

-That's it.

-Ah, it just went!

0:24:210:24:23

LAUGHTER

0:24:230:24:25

HE COUGHS

0:24:320:24:33

It's just relaxing, isn't it?

0:24:360:24:38

Quite busy these days, and to come out for the whole day and just

0:24:380:24:41

experience something like this, come out on the open water.

0:24:410:24:45

I enjoy fishing anyway, as well.

0:24:450:24:47

Good bunch of guys here doing it.

0:24:470:24:50

It's a chance for me to relax.

0:24:500:24:52

That's it. Yes, yes, yes.

0:24:540:24:57

Fishing for sharks is a welcome distraction from the worry of

0:24:570:25:00

-speaking in public.

-At least a 66.

0:25:000:25:03

I can't lift it up!

0:25:090:25:11

Where am I lifting it to?

0:25:110:25:13

-He's strong, isn't he?

-Yeah.

0:25:130:25:15

That was unreal.

0:25:180:25:19

It is great that we can catch these animals and put them back.

0:25:190:25:22

There is no harm there.

0:25:220:25:24

But just stunning, simply stunning.

0:25:240:25:26

THEY WHOOP

0:25:270:25:30

-Right. Let's head for home.

-Let's go.

0:25:350:25:37

One week after facing sharks off the Welsh coast,

0:25:450:25:47

Shane is pitched into a much more frightening scenario.

0:25:470:25:50

Nervous is an understatement.

0:25:540:25:56

I have never done anything like this before.

0:25:560:25:58

Actually having a whole night revolve around you

0:25:580:26:01

is quite scary.

0:26:010:26:04

So I am kind of thrown into the lions' den at the moment.

0:26:050:26:07

I know that there's a lot of women here tonight as well, which makes it

0:26:070:26:10

even more daunting. I just hope they are gentle with me.

0:26:100:26:13

That's why we call him Shane Willybumps.

0:26:130:26:16

Why do they call him that?

0:26:160:26:17

Have a look.

0:26:170:26:19

Very handsome. Thank you very much.

0:26:210:26:23

-All right.

-I'll put it on Facebook straightaway.

0:26:230:26:27

Is it on?

0:26:270:26:28

Hello. Hello.

0:26:310:26:33

Hello. Good evening.

0:26:330:26:35

I suppose there's a number of reasons I was invited.

0:26:350:26:38

I have done a lot of work in Merthyr before and I think I am the only

0:26:380:26:42

rugby player that fits under this tent here so...

0:26:420:26:45

LAUGHTER

0:26:450:26:47

2008, Grand Slam year, we were playing France, and my phone goes,

0:26:480:26:53

just as we are going to turn right into the Millennium Stadium.

0:26:530:26:56

I pick it up. "All right, Dad?"

0:26:560:26:58

"How's it going? What are you up to?"

0:26:580:27:00

I'm like, "Dad, I'm actually a little bit busy at the moment.

0:27:010:27:06

"I'm just about to play France in a Grand Slam decider

0:27:060:27:08

"at the Millennium Stadium."

0:27:080:27:10

"Oh, yeah, yeah, no problem." I'm just about to put the phone down,

0:27:100:27:13

he goes, "Whoa, whoa, whoa.

0:27:130:27:15

"Do you know, if you score today..."

0:27:150:27:17

LAUGHTER

0:27:170:27:19

"..I win £50,000?"

0:27:190:27:21

LAUGHTER

0:27:210:27:23

I've felt this pressure before,

0:27:230:27:24

so hopefully tonight is going to go swimmingly.

0:27:240:27:26

I'm not the most natural public speaker.

0:27:280:27:30

Probably seemed quite forward when I played rugby.

0:27:300:27:34

I'm quite sure of my ability when I was a rugby player.

0:27:340:27:37

Away from the pitch, I wasn't as confident.

0:27:370:27:40

I've done a few now and when I've come away from it,

0:27:400:27:43

I've actually enjoyed it.

0:27:430:27:44

But back in 2002, Shane's confidence on the pitch took a huge knock...

0:27:510:27:55

..when he was dropped from the Welsh squad after just two years.

0:27:560:27:59

Playing for Wales came a little bit too early for me.

0:28:010:28:04

I wasn't half as physical as the players out there.

0:28:040:28:06

Defensively not good enough.

0:28:060:28:08

And you just need to get more powerful.

0:28:080:28:11

I started taking supplements.

0:28:110:28:13

Put all this weight on.

0:28:130:28:14

Lost a bit of speed and agility.

0:28:140:28:17

I was feeling depressed.

0:28:170:28:19

I didn't enjoy where I was as a person.

0:28:190:28:22

Defying his critics, Shane chose to do things his own way.

0:28:230:28:27

I decided I wasn't going to put myself under that pressure any more,

0:28:270:28:30

that I was going to play at the weight that I wanted to play at,

0:28:300:28:33

and be the player I wanted to be.

0:28:330:28:35

-COMMENTATOR:

-Good to see Shane Williams back on a rugby field.

0:28:350:28:37

And that's what I did.

0:28:370:28:39

In 2003, Shane returned to the Welsh team and never looked back.

0:28:430:28:46

The underdog had turned things around.

0:28:480:28:50

Shane Williams, he's off! Shane Williams for Wales - scores.

0:28:500:28:54

Game after game, he delivered.

0:28:540:28:57

His devastating sidestep helped him become Wales's record try-scorer,

0:28:570:29:01

and most-capped winger.

0:29:010:29:04

Shane Williams, always a buzz of excitement!

0:29:040:29:07

Williams has scored!

0:29:070:29:09

And Williams, what can he create? Oh, he can create magic again.

0:29:090:29:12

Shane Williams, and Williams for the corner, a dive...

0:29:120:29:16

Shane Williams.

0:29:160:29:17

And Shane Williams has won the most dramatic game!

0:29:170:29:21

Despite agreeing to rejoin his local club as a coach, Shane has decided

0:29:290:29:33

to turn out for a home game against Burry Port.

0:29:330:29:36

When I go and watch Amman play, I want to be on the field with them.

0:29:360:29:40

I just can't help myself, really.

0:29:400:29:42

I tried my best to retire.

0:29:420:29:44

I tried my best to give it up completely,

0:29:440:29:46

and I just couldn't do it. And that's why I'm back.

0:29:460:29:49

We tried signing him a couple of years ago but we couldn't get the

0:29:510:29:54

insurance, because he was still with the Japanese team.

0:29:540:29:56

It will be his first game for the club in quite some time.

0:29:560:29:59

He is back in the valley, where he belongs.

0:29:590:30:02

I don't have a choice, really!

0:30:020:30:04

No, I can't stop him doing what he wants to do.

0:30:040:30:07

I think he has started on the wing and he might be moving into centre,

0:30:070:30:10

second half. So he will be looked after, I think.

0:30:100:30:14

But after seeing the opposition, Shane has some reservations.

0:30:140:30:18

If he's playing in the centre, I'll cry.

0:30:180:30:20

Game days are great. You get all them nerves and butterflies,

0:30:200:30:22

it doesn't matter who you are playing for, who you are playing against, really.

0:30:220:30:26

If I don't play well today it's pretty embarrassing, to be fair.

0:30:260:30:29

So I've got that added pressure.

0:30:290:30:30

What he's given to the game in Wales is phenomenal.

0:30:320:30:36

And it's great to see him now coming back to grassroots rugby and giving

0:30:360:30:39

something back to the boys of his own club.

0:30:390:30:42

Two, three, four, five phases, we put these boys away.

0:30:420:30:45

Right? Easy.

0:30:450:30:47

THEY CHANT

0:30:470:30:49

Let's do this, lads. Let's do it.

0:30:500:30:52

It could get a bit feisty.

0:30:570:30:59

I hope not. But I don't want to use my cards.

0:30:590:31:01

I know players like Burry Port target Shane for what he has done,

0:31:010:31:06

and to see if they can catch him.

0:31:060:31:08

If they CAN catch him, that is!

0:31:080:31:10

This is brutal grassroots rugby with no cameras watching every angle.

0:31:120:31:17

No playback slow-mos and no fourth official.

0:31:170:31:19

Even the crowds are tough.

0:31:220:31:24

Come on!

0:31:240:31:25

He is playing all right, yes.

0:31:280:31:30

What I've seen of him, he has done good.

0:31:300:31:31

He has made a couple of breaks.

0:31:310:31:34

But not everyone agrees.

0:31:340:31:36

We are trying to use Shane too much at this moment in time.

0:31:360:31:38

We are rushing it. We are rushing everything wide, we are.

0:31:380:31:41

We need to just go back to basics.

0:31:410:31:42

Despite some tough defence and a few mistakes,

0:31:450:31:48

Shane and the team persist

0:31:480:31:50

and it's not long before the Amman tries come rolling in.

0:31:500:31:52

-When we get here, let's

-BLEEP!

-just kick the leather off it,

0:31:580:32:00

-good talk, good chase and then we

-BLEEP!

-make them play down there.

0:32:000:32:03

-It's hard, isn't it? We just had it for 40

-BLEEP!

-minutes.

0:32:030:32:06

He's having a couple of men marking him, it's not just the one.

0:32:060:32:09

But second half now, when they get a little bit tired,

0:32:090:32:11

we think he'll have a bit more space,

0:32:110:32:13

and hopefully he'll be crossing that corner down the bottom there.

0:32:130:32:16

Shane switches to the centre and soon turns provider for his

0:32:170:32:21

new team-mates.

0:32:210:32:22

WHISTLE BLOWS

0:32:360:32:38

THEY CHEER

0:32:380:32:40

Shane has lasted the full bruising 80 minutes.

0:32:410:32:44

He hasn't scored, but it's still a winning return to rugby.

0:32:440:32:47

I do actually miss the physical side of it, in a strange way.

0:32:490:32:52

My legs were just like lead out there.

0:32:520:32:54

The combination of age and the fact I was tired and lethargic.

0:32:540:32:58

I wouldn't have gone and played anywhere else, really.

0:32:580:33:00

I am retired. This is just a hobby for me and a bit of fun.

0:33:000:33:03

And who knows, I might put the boots on again.

0:33:030:33:05

I think the chairman of the club was happy today. He has taken a few pounds on the gate.

0:33:050:33:09

So it's good for the club, good for the village,

0:33:090:33:12

good for the boys playing with him as well.

0:33:120:33:15

I am dreading tomorrow morning. My calf is going like that as we speak.

0:33:150:33:18

My head is little bit sore from a few bangs to the head,

0:33:180:33:21

but that's rugby, and that's why we do it.

0:33:210:33:23

Gail, any order, eh?

0:33:270:33:30

Shane's comeback is a welcome boost for the club but this time

0:33:300:33:33

around the demands of playing won't overshadow his priorities -

0:33:330:33:37

his family. Today, it's the turn of horse-mad daughter Georgie to get

0:33:370:33:41

Mum and Dad to herself.

0:33:410:33:43

Georgie.

0:33:430:33:45

It doesn't matter which way, does it?

0:33:450:33:48

Georgie now is ten years of age.

0:33:480:33:50

She's into ponies, her gymkhana, and her games on the pony.

0:33:500:33:54

She is doing extremely well.

0:33:540:33:57

Go on. Go. Go on!

0:33:570:33:59

She's got the heart of a lion, to be fair.

0:34:000:34:03

She's tough as nails.

0:34:030:34:04

She's doing things on that horse that I've never seen other people

0:34:040:34:07

do, to be completely honest with you.

0:34:070:34:10

Go on.

0:34:120:34:14

-Good girl.

-She's doing really well.

0:34:140:34:16

She's very competitive, which is her father, with the competitive genes,

0:34:160:34:21

and me the horsey genes, cos I used to do this when I was younger.

0:34:210:34:25

And ready, look ready for it.

0:34:250:34:27

Better. As many shows as Georgie does,

0:34:320:34:35

I try to get to watch as much as I can.

0:34:350:34:37

It's great. I've got no excuses now, I'm back home.

0:34:370:34:41

It's not just Shane's daughter that has the heart of a lion.

0:34:440:34:48

In a glittering career, his proudest achievement was being picked for

0:34:480:34:51

three separate Lions' tours.

0:34:510:34:53

Playing for the British and Irish Lions was the highlight of my career.

0:34:530:34:56

For me to say that I've been part of that, to be on three tours,

0:34:560:35:00

is just completely surreal.

0:35:000:35:02

I am able to put my name in with some of the best players that have played the game.

0:35:020:35:07

What's great about the Lions is, you get put in with players that perhaps you think,

0:35:070:35:10

"Oh, I don't know if I like this guy because I played against him and

0:35:100:35:13

"he was a little bit horrible to me on the field,"

0:35:130:35:15

or "..beat me up on the field there."

0:35:150:35:17

And you get to meet these guys and they are just as

0:35:170:35:20

normal as anyone else, you know.

0:35:200:35:22

Very few players get picked for three separate Lions' tours,

0:35:220:35:26

and fewer still are crowned World Player of the Year.

0:35:260:35:29

IRB Player of the Year for 2008 - Shane Williams.

0:35:290:35:33

The highlight, and I suppose the pinnacle,

0:35:330:35:35

was being named World Player of the Year in 2008.

0:35:350:35:38

Being told countless times that I wasn't good enough,

0:35:380:35:41

to come full circle and go through the ups and downs, that I could

0:35:410:35:45

almost stick two fingers up to a lot of people who told me from

0:35:450:35:48

the start that it was never going to happen,

0:35:480:35:50

and I almost believed that, at times, was just amazing.

0:35:500:35:55

I didn't have to say anything, really.

0:35:550:35:57

Just receiving that award just said it all.

0:35:570:36:00

It was quite selfish of me, really, because that was a single award for

0:36:000:36:03

a single player, but I suppose that really

0:36:030:36:08

summed up my rugby career, really, and me as a person.

0:36:080:36:13

The former World Player of the Year is about to help his home team grab

0:36:180:36:22

some glory of their own.

0:36:220:36:24

Shane has been picked to play for the Amman in the quarterfinals of

0:36:240:36:28

the WRU National Bowl.

0:36:280:36:30

While coaching Amman, we have won leagues,

0:36:300:36:32

we have won all the local cups,

0:36:320:36:34

the only one we haven't won is the Millennium Stadium.

0:36:340:36:37

I'll go and warm up.

0:36:370:36:39

-You all right there?

-Yeah.

0:36:390:36:42

Shane has played in the Principality, or the Millennium Stadium,

0:36:430:36:46

loads of times. But to help these boys get somewhere like the

0:36:460:36:49

Millennium Stadium would absolutely be fantastic for him.

0:36:490:36:52

But not everyone is looking forward to sharing the pitch with Shane.

0:36:520:36:56

When we realised Shane was playing,

0:36:560:36:58

we sat down as a group of players and talked about it.

0:36:580:37:01

We could either get down in the dumps that a world-class player's

0:37:010:37:04

playing, or we can get excited at the opportunity of playing against

0:37:040:37:06

him. Some of our boys have only ever seen him play on TV,

0:37:060:37:09

so to actually grace the fields with him would be a great

0:37:090:37:11

opportunity for our boys.

0:37:110:37:13

I bet they're looking forward to trying to run him down and catch him

0:37:130:37:16

and stick his face in the mud.

0:37:160:37:19

Despite the mud, the brutal tackles and the freezing conditions,

0:37:200:37:24

Amman clinch the game.

0:37:240:37:27

They started well. We were slow off the bus, I think.

0:37:270:37:30

We just... We just built into the game,

0:37:300:37:33

but their defence was very good.

0:37:330:37:36

I thought we dominated the first half.

0:37:360:37:38

Set piece, our line-outs, scrum,

0:37:380:37:40

we got the backs quite a bit of ball.

0:37:400:37:43

18 points up - against a tough team.

0:37:430:37:45

In really poor conditions, didn't really have to do much.

0:37:450:37:48

The forwards were fantastic.

0:37:480:37:50

Oh, definitely still got it.

0:37:500:37:52

I don't think he'll ever lose it. I think he'll still be sidestepping

0:37:520:37:54

when he's 75 on the street, I think,

0:37:540:37:56

so when you've got a talent like he has,

0:37:560:37:58

I don't think it will ever disappear.

0:37:580:38:00

The improved performance hasn't resulted in a try and he's still yet

0:38:090:38:12

to score for the Amman. Not that he's worried.

0:38:120:38:15

The reason I want to come back and play is because it is old school.

0:38:150:38:18

You're playing in the mud, you're playing in poor conditions and

0:38:180:38:20

you're playing against teams like this and you're having a good craic

0:38:200:38:23

And you're just enjoying it.

0:38:230:38:25

You know, to play alongside my brother and my brother-in-law,

0:38:250:38:28

to be involved with them guys and enjoying it, is what it's all about,

0:38:280:38:31

-really.

-18-7, we'll take that every day.

0:38:310:38:33

This is the furthest we've ever got, so it's getting really close now.

0:38:340:38:37

Shane has left the mud of West Wales for the town of Rugby,

0:38:430:38:46

home of the game and a place where he has a VIP appointment with some

0:38:460:38:50

very high-profile players.

0:38:500:38:52

We're heading to the Hall of Fame,

0:38:530:38:55

myself plus a couple of other legends on the bus, to get inducted.

0:38:550:38:59

Quite excited, a little bit nervous, actually,

0:39:000:39:03

because I'm not 100% sure what to expect, but really looking forward.

0:39:030:39:07

Wales had that tradition of flair. Skilful, speedy rugby players.

0:39:130:39:19

And Shane fits that mould to a T.

0:39:190:39:22

I loved Shane Williams. I loved the fact he was very small,

0:39:220:39:26

I loved the fact that, really, he had no business playing.

0:39:260:39:29

He was too small, he was going to get damaged. And the fact that he

0:39:290:39:32

had the best feet of any rugby player

0:39:320:39:34

that I ever managed to play against.

0:39:340:39:36

Obviously, you've gone for a life-size picture as well.

0:39:390:39:42

It's good to see, yeah.

0:39:420:39:44

It's quite surreal, really,

0:39:440:39:45

you know, to realise you're in a place, I guess, with all

0:39:450:39:49

the jerseys, the memorabilia and the video clips of all the legends

0:39:490:39:52

before me.

0:39:520:39:54

You know, hitting home, really, what being inducted into the Hall of Fame

0:39:560:39:59

really means.

0:39:590:40:01

Like, I'm walking around with Ieuan Evans, one of my heroes growing up.

0:40:010:40:04

Well, he electrified the nation and he brought excitement,

0:40:040:40:07

he brought a buzz and I'm sure he inspired a whole generation of

0:40:070:40:12

youngsters to want to play the game that we all love.

0:40:120:40:16

Our next inductee is Wales's record try-scorer, with 58 tries in 87 tests,

0:40:160:40:21

largely down to a devastating sidestep.

0:40:210:40:23

-Please welcome Shane Williams.

-APPLAUSE

0:40:230:40:27

It was quite nerve-racking in the end,

0:40:350:40:37

when you see the players around you

0:40:370:40:38

and, you know, all the ex-players and the players you played alongside

0:40:380:40:42

and legends of the game, and then having to go up on the stage,

0:40:420:40:45

quite nerve-racking, but, no, it was great.

0:40:450:40:47

And I've got a couple of goodies out of it, as well, so got a...

0:40:470:40:51

..a new cap.

0:40:520:40:54

Hall of Fame cap there, so... There have only been 130 of these made.

0:40:540:40:59

This will go in the cupboard now,

0:40:590:41:00

with the trophies and the other things.

0:41:000:41:02

This is an elite gathering of rugby's great and the good,

0:41:040:41:07

and everyone of them have faced the same dilemma as Shane -

0:41:070:41:11

how to give up the game.

0:41:110:41:13

It's not so much missing the team or missing friends or missing the

0:41:130:41:17

environment, for me, I missed winning and I missed...

0:41:170:41:20

I almost missed losing too.

0:41:200:41:21

It's the highs and lows of the emotions.

0:41:210:41:23

You spend your whole life trying to chase it again.

0:41:230:41:25

It sounds a bit morbid, but you have to make peace with the fact that

0:41:250:41:28

you're not going to be able to replicate that,

0:41:280:41:30

so you have to go and find something else that floats your boat,

0:41:300:41:33

something that gives you a purpose

0:41:330:41:34

and a reason to get up in the morning.

0:41:340:41:36

The Hall of Fame is a celebration of past glories,

0:41:380:41:42

but is there one more medal on the horizon for Shane?

0:41:420:41:45

I've played a couple of games with the Amman now, which are...

0:41:450:41:48

Is there a cup game in the offing?

0:41:480:41:49

There is a Bowl game coming up, so I'm hoping to help the Amman out,

0:41:490:41:52

progress to the Principality Stadium, which is,

0:41:520:41:55

you know, the priority of this season.

0:41:550:41:58

If you get them there, will you play?

0:41:580:42:00

I don't know. I'm going to have to play because I'm going to have to

0:42:000:42:03

have another medal, aren't I? You know,

0:42:030:42:05

if I don't play, I don't get a medal, so...

0:42:050:42:07

I enjoy being out and about.

0:42:140:42:16

For me, it's pointless me being stuck in an office.

0:42:160:42:19

I don't really get much done.

0:42:190:42:21

You know, put me in front of a computer,

0:42:210:42:23

I end up looking up the internet and on eBay and all that crap, so

0:42:230:42:27

get me out and about, get me meeting people and I'm a lot happier.

0:42:270:42:32

He's a superstar one minute, on the telly the next minute,

0:42:320:42:36

there was nothing snobby or nothing big-headed and that's the way he's

0:42:360:42:39

-going to stay.

-You're having ten years' warranty,

0:42:390:42:41

-20-year life expectancy.

-I don't want something that's...

0:42:410:42:44

-No, you want to see your garden.

-You sit up there and you think,

0:42:440:42:47

"There's a nice oil tank."

0:42:470:42:48

End of the day, you're going to have a tank there, aren't you?

0:42:480:42:51

-All right?

-Good, thank you very much.

-Diolch.

-Thank you very much.

0:42:510:42:54

-Thank you.

-I'll get breakfast next time now, all right?

0:42:540:42:57

-Yeah.

-So, what's it like having Shane Williams turn up?

0:42:570:43:01

Bit of a shock when I had the call to say that Shane would be coming,

0:43:010:43:04

but I was desperate for an oil tank.

0:43:040:43:06

I couldn't care less if Donald Trump turned up.

0:43:060:43:08

HE CHUCKLES

0:43:080:43:10

From selling oil tanks to filling them,

0:43:110:43:13

the family firm is keeping him busy.

0:43:130:43:16

Need a stepladder.

0:43:160:43:17

Oh, please don't go everywhere.

0:43:190:43:21

MACHINE WHIRS

0:43:210:43:23

I think that's working.

0:43:280:43:30

Now, this is where usually someone

0:43:300:43:33

offers you a cup of coffee and a cake

0:43:330:43:35

or something, but there's no-one in today - gutted.

0:43:350:43:41

I haven't killed no-one. Full tank of oil and they'll be warm tonight

0:43:410:43:44

and that will be because of me, so, happy.

0:43:440:43:47

It's the morning of the semifinal of the National Bowl competition.

0:43:590:44:02

The prospect of playing at the Principality is within touching distance,

0:44:020:44:06

but first Amman face a physical battle against

0:44:060:44:10

heavyweight opposition - Cardigan.

0:44:100:44:12

The worst round in the cup is the semifinal.

0:44:130:44:15

You're one game away from the final, yet, you know,

0:44:150:44:18

yet you could lose that game and you're nowhere near.

0:44:180:44:20

So, yeah, it's a big, big game.

0:44:200:44:22

The village has turned out to support their boys.

0:44:230:44:26

# Roll along, Amman United Roll along

0:44:260:44:30

# With a little bit of luck You will win the silver cup

0:44:310:44:36

# Roll along, Amman United Roll along. #

0:44:360:44:39

Feels like the European Cup final, for the lads, or a

0:44:390:44:42

World Cup final, it really does.

0:44:420:44:43

But today, Shane's taking a back seat.

0:44:440:44:47

Shane's going to be on the bench for us, and,

0:44:470:44:49

there's a big,

0:44:490:44:51

big chance that he'll be going on before the end of the game.

0:44:510:44:54

I've looked a little bit into Cardigan and apparently they like

0:44:540:44:56

the driving maul, so they kick into the corners a lot.

0:44:560:44:59

The game gets underway with some big early hits from the home side.

0:45:000:45:04

This was always going to be a tough encounter and the plan was for Shane

0:45:060:45:09

to sit it out.

0:45:090:45:10

But when his brother-in-law runs into trouble...

0:45:120:45:14

..he has no choice but to go into battle for the Amman.

0:45:160:45:19

The atmosphere is hostile

0:45:280:45:30

and, for once, it's Shane who's in firing line.

0:45:300:45:33

You know, I got a little bit of abuse off some of the crowd as well.

0:45:340:45:37

JEERING

0:45:370:45:39

I wasn't really used to it.

0:45:410:45:43

I was used to the Welsh fans kind of enjoying my play and being quite

0:45:430:45:47

nice and saying nice things about me, but, you know,

0:45:470:45:50

I kind of expected something.

0:45:500:45:51

It's still tough to take.

0:45:510:45:53

You know, no-one likes to get abused on the field and certainly

0:45:530:45:56

physically abused on the field.

0:45:560:45:59

Despite a brutal front-line game,

0:45:590:46:01

Amman open up the field...

0:46:010:46:04

-Come on, Amman!

-..and take a comfortable lead against Cardigan...

0:46:040:46:08

scoring try after try.

0:46:080:46:10

CHEERING

0:46:100:46:11

Shane's brother Dean crosses the line too,

0:46:180:46:21

but before Shane can have a similar impact, things get out of hand.

0:46:210:46:27

I was just being held in the ruck.

0:46:270:46:29

Can't call it a scuffle. Not tough enough to scuffle.

0:46:290:46:31

And one of their fellas decided to come round the wrong side of the

0:46:310:46:34

ruck and unfortunately clashed his head with my jaw.

0:46:340:46:37

It was a bit naughty, really. Didn't feel very nice at the time,

0:46:450:46:47

I've got to be honest, but I managed to carry on and finish the game.

0:46:470:46:51

Despite the aggression,

0:46:520:46:54

Amman comfortably take the semifinal by 29 points to 3.

0:46:540:46:58

They have made it to the Principality Stadium.

0:46:580:47:03

Oh, it feels...

0:47:030:47:04

it feels awesome.

0:47:040:47:06

Sorry, I had a whack in the chops.

0:47:060:47:08

It feels awesome. The boys deserved it. They played exceptionally well.

0:47:080:47:11

It was tough out there, Cardigan are always very physical and some tough

0:47:110:47:15

boys there, but the boys stuck at it.

0:47:150:47:18

We're going to Cardiff, boys! Come on!

0:47:180:47:20

CHEERING

0:47:200:47:22

The fracture to his jaw has left a huge question mark over Shane's

0:47:260:47:30

place in the final.

0:47:300:47:32

He could miss the chance to play one last time on the pitch where he made his name.

0:47:330:47:37

Missing out would be a crushing blow to a player who made a habit of

0:47:400:47:43

bowing out in style.

0:47:430:47:45

After capping his last international appearance for Wales with a try,

0:47:470:47:50

Shane repeated the feat in his last-ever game for the Ospreys.

0:47:500:47:53

Shane Williams...

0:47:530:47:56

-There's Shane Williams!

-Oh, no!

-You can't believe it.

0:47:560:48:00

You just could not script it.

0:48:000:48:02

He did it in his final international for Wales against Australia and he's

0:48:020:48:06

possibly done it again in his final game at the Liberty.

0:48:060:48:11

Shane's game again! Incredible.

0:48:110:48:17

You just cannot put the little man down. What a way to finish.

0:48:170:48:21

While Shane might have finished with rugby,

0:48:250:48:27

rugby hadn't finished with him.

0:48:270:48:29

I had a phone call off Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, in Japan, asking

0:48:290:48:34

if I'd like to represent them and be their ambassador,

0:48:340:48:36

and play rugby out there.

0:48:360:48:38

The offer was pretty much too good to turn down, really.

0:48:380:48:40

There were a lot of zeros on the end of that yen sign, let me tell you.

0:48:400:48:44

Spoke to Gail and we thought, "Oh, do you know what?

0:48:440:48:47

"We'll take the kids out of school,

0:48:470:48:49

"we'll go out there and we'll experience it,

0:48:490:48:51

"and hopefully enjoy it." And we did.

0:48:510:48:54

Where's Mammy gone tonight, then?

0:48:540:48:56

-With all of the girls.

-She's out on a girls' night out, is she?

0:48:560:49:00

Having beer.

0:49:000:49:02

What?!

0:49:020:49:03

She told me last night.

0:49:030:49:05

She's going to have a beer?

0:49:050:49:07

She didn't tell me that.

0:49:070:49:09

She told me!

0:49:090:49:11

Playing in Japan was a revelation

0:49:110:49:13

for the little winger from West Wales.

0:49:130:49:15

Out here, it's far less physical.

0:49:150:49:17

The players are smaller.

0:49:170:49:18

I'm hitting rucks now and I'm actually effective,

0:49:180:49:21

which never used to happen.

0:49:210:49:23

I'm putting tackles in now and,

0:49:230:49:24

you know, I'm not going backwards in the tackle.

0:49:240:49:27

I'm going forwards for once!

0:49:270:49:28

But while he enjoyed the rugby,

0:49:280:49:30

the family missed home and home comforts.

0:49:300:49:32

I eat the occasional tin of tuna.

0:49:350:49:38

I won't eat my raw fish.

0:49:380:49:39

Struggle with the noodles.

0:49:390:49:41

Unfortunately, when we do go out, we go for a pizza or something,

0:49:410:49:44

so not very Japanese-y, really,

0:49:440:49:46

but struggling for a fish-and-chip shop here. That's the only problem.

0:49:460:49:50

After two years, Shane retired once and for all.

0:49:520:49:56

His career ended 6,000 miles from home.

0:49:560:49:59

He went back to the Amman believing he would never play rugby again.

0:50:010:50:04

After two anxious weeks, Shane's fractured jaw has healed.

0:50:100:50:14

He is fit to play, and the club is buzzing with excitement.

0:50:140:50:17

Heads on, boys, come on. Let's get out there.

0:50:200:50:22

Today is probably the biggest day in Amman United's history.

0:50:220:50:26

The boys seem up for it. They're going to have to be,

0:50:260:50:28

it's going to be a tough game. You know,

0:50:280:50:30

you don't get an opportunity like this very often.

0:50:300:50:32

I think the lads are so nervous that we actually had a singsong.

0:50:340:50:37

We were singing R Kelly, The World's Greatest,

0:50:370:50:39

and that was quite bizarre,

0:50:390:50:41

but it was great. It got the lads up for it, they were excited.

0:50:410:50:44

MUSIC: The World's Greatest by R Kelly

0:50:440:50:50

Back on familiar territory,

0:50:520:50:54

the stadium brings back fond memories for Shane

0:50:540:50:57

of his Grand Slam glory days.

0:50:570:51:00

Grand Slam was up there with one of the biggest things you can win

0:51:010:51:04

as an international rugby player.

0:51:040:51:06

CROWD ROARS

0:51:160:51:18

I've been lucky and privileged to have had two.

0:51:210:51:23

There's not many people who can say that.

0:51:230:51:26

The return to the stadium isn't just an emotional day for Shane.

0:51:340:51:38

The occasion is getting to everyone.

0:51:380:51:40

I've got to say, he's just one of the boys.

0:51:400:51:42

He has no airs and graces about him.

0:51:420:51:44

He's just...

0:51:440:51:46

He's still Shane, whatever happens.

0:51:460:51:48

Sorry.

0:51:480:51:50

But I knew, when he was first playing for the Amman,

0:51:530:51:56

still the same boy, still the same man.

0:51:560:51:58

He's probably just as proud today as he was

0:51:580:52:01

when he was playing for Wales, you know, to play with his brother,

0:52:010:52:04

his brother-in-law, all his friends,

0:52:040:52:05

and it's the same for them to play with Shane, isn't it?

0:52:050:52:10

Ready, set, up!

0:52:100:52:12

Ready, set, up!

0:52:120:52:15

If we freeze, we'll be gutted forever, boys.

0:52:150:52:17

Nobody can take this away from us today, boys. You've earned it.

0:52:170:52:20

Nobody else, you've earned it.

0:52:200:52:22

Go out there and make the most of it, boys.

0:52:220:52:24

Enjoy it. You've strived for this all your lives.

0:52:240:52:26

-Come on.

-The first day you put a pair of boots on

0:52:260:52:29

is for a day like this, and here it is, it's come for you, boys.

0:52:290:52:31

Let's go on.

0:52:310:52:33

-Come on!

-Go out there and enjoy it, boys.

0:52:330:52:36

I remember coming out to the Millennium Stadium

0:52:420:52:44

in my final game thinking, "I'm not going to have this again."

0:52:440:52:48

And to have the whole crowd standing up and singing the anthem

0:52:490:52:52

and chanting our names or whatever again...

0:52:520:52:55

That was almost as sad as realising that I was giving up rugby.

0:52:550:52:59

In front of an empty stadium, with the game broadcast live on S4C,

0:53:020:53:07

Shane kicked off his last ever match against rivals Caerphilly.

0:53:070:53:10

With 58 professional tries under his belt,

0:53:120:53:15

the pressure's on Shane to help his village to win the Bowl.

0:53:150:53:18

A loose pass from Caerphilly gives Amman an early opening.

0:53:200:53:24

Five-and-a-half years after his last professional match,

0:53:240:53:27

with his first touch of the ball,

0:53:270:53:29

Wales's record try-scorer snatches the first try of the game

0:53:290:53:33

and his first for Amman United this season.

0:53:330:53:36

Caerphilly fight back, securing two converted tries in quick succession.

0:53:450:53:49

Keeping it in the family, Shane turns provider,

0:53:520:53:55

producing a killer pass to brother-in-law Gavin Lewis.

0:53:550:53:57

Amman take the lead 15-14.

0:53:590:54:02

The game swings back and forth as Caerphilly and Amman trade points

0:54:050:54:08

and swap scores.

0:54:080:54:10

After a nail-biting first-half,

0:54:120:54:14

Caerphilly lead 21-20.

0:54:140:54:16

The second half is just as frenetic,

0:54:200:54:22

with the lead changing hands seven times.

0:54:220:54:25

With ten minutes to go,

0:54:300:54:31

Caerphilly pull ahead with a try from Matthew Nuttall.

0:54:310:54:34

Shane's return to the Principality Stadium looks set to end in defeat.

0:54:370:54:42

With three minutes remaining, Amman grasp a last-chance opportunity.

0:54:520:54:57

Shane feeds the ball wide and Chris Rhys slides it over the line,

0:54:580:55:03

putting Amman back in the lead.

0:55:030:55:06

Amid the chaos of the last few seconds,

0:55:060:55:09

Caerphilly give away a penalty

0:55:090:55:11

and Amman sink it to clinch the game, 43-31.

0:55:110:55:15

This guy is the golden guy.

0:55:150:55:17

He's in the red of Amman United today.

0:55:170:55:20

He has been part of a victory

0:55:200:55:21

that will go down in the history of that little part

0:55:210:55:24

of West Wales, of the Amman Valley, they will tell the tale

0:55:240:55:28

of how they played with Shane and how they won the Bowl.

0:55:280:55:32

One last medal, one last game,

0:55:350:55:38

one last hurrah.

0:55:380:55:40

Shane bows out in style again.

0:55:420:55:45

CHEERING

0:55:470:55:49

Yeah, today wasn't about me

0:55:560:55:57

and I keep saying it and I really do mean that.

0:55:570:55:59

Today was about the Amman being successful,

0:55:590:56:02

and you can see the lads, you know,

0:56:020:56:04

it's like Christmas come all over again for these guys.

0:56:040:56:06

They may not get this opportunity again

0:56:060:56:08

and they're going to make the most of it. I'm very chuffed.

0:56:080:56:12

To play alongside my brother and brother-in-laws

0:56:120:56:14

and cousins and God knows what...

0:56:140:56:16

From the Amman Valley, everyone's related, so, you know,

0:56:160:56:19

most of the boys are related to me and they're family

0:56:190:56:21

and to go out there and win it, as well, in the end,

0:56:210:56:23

thoroughly deserved. I felt the guys were great.

0:56:230:56:26

I miss these times where, you know, you can celebrate a win

0:56:270:56:30

or something positive and I'm looking forward to tonight.

0:56:300:56:34

EXCITED CHATTER

0:56:390:56:41

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

0:56:420:56:45

THEY SING

0:56:500:56:54

Bar my kids being born, it's the best feeling of my life, honestly.

0:56:540:56:57

There is also one extremely proud father

0:56:570:57:00

celebrating in the Amman tonight.

0:57:000:57:02

I've never seen both of them playing in the Millennium Stadium together,

0:57:020:57:06

so a very good day for the family.

0:57:060:57:08

Shane's obviously lived moments like this,

0:57:100:57:12

but you can see on his face on the way home,

0:57:120:57:14

it means more to him to have all his mates and his family here

0:57:140:57:17

than it would to win for Wales and all that because...

0:57:170:57:19

You can tell by his face, it's just different.

0:57:190:57:21

Different feeling, really, do you know what I mean?

0:57:210:57:23

It's awesome. It's awesome.

0:57:230:57:25

It's not the World Cup final, but for these guys,

0:57:250:57:28

it is the World Cup final.

0:57:280:57:30

Three months after the final,

0:57:410:57:43

and the club bar sports a new addition to the Amman Hall of Fame.

0:57:430:57:47

It was a great way for me to finish my rugby.

0:57:490:57:52

The boots are staying locked in the attic.

0:57:540:57:56

The wife has told me and I've told myself, "No more."

0:57:560:58:00

Are you sure?

0:58:020:58:04

Where's my wife?

0:58:040:58:06

I don't think he'll ever stop.

0:58:060:58:07

He thinks, "Oh, I'll just go and have one more game."

0:58:070:58:11

Yeah. If they're short, I know he'd play.

0:58:110:58:15

Yeah, I'm sure. I'm sure.

0:58:150:58:16

Look, I love the game. I'd love to have been able to play for Wales

0:58:160:58:20

up until I was 50 years of age,

0:58:200:58:21

but you have to listen to your body sometimes,

0:58:210:58:24

and especially a wife, so I think I'll hang my boots up.

0:58:240:58:27

They will tell the tale of how they played with Shane

0:58:270:58:31

and how they won the Bowl.

0:58:310:58:33

MUSIC: Outro by M83

0:58:330:58:35

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