Welsh rugby star Andy Powell has given a fascinating insight into the build up for a Six Nations clash with England that included a changing room boxing session.
The back-row maverick played three times against the old enemy in Six Nations clashes losing at Twickenham (30-17) in 2010 and the following season (26-19) in Cardiff.
But it's his first meeting with Martin Johnson's 2009 side, just three months after making his debut under Warren Gatland against South Africa, that lives long in the memory.
Not just for the 23-15 win, in Cardiff, being the only time 37-year-old Powell would put one over England, but for the build up to kick off.
He told the Telegraph in an exclusive interview: "Before my first game against England I remember Shaun Edwards [Wales defence coach] getting the boys to do a bit of boxing in the changing room before we played them.
"The boys went out and tried to kill things.
"We came off at half-time and said, 'I don’t think that worked too well'. We won the game, though!”
With Powell winning all 23 of his caps under Gatland, the player whose career has taken in spells with the Blues, Dragons, Leicester Tigers, Wasps, Sale Sharks and Beziers, has lifted the lid on the man management skills of the Kiwi.
In the build-up to this week's potential Wales-England Grand Slam showdown in Cardiff there's been newspaper reports claiming Gatland is the 'leading contender' to take over the Twickenham reins from Eddie Jones.
And Powell believes he would make an even better coach of England than outspoken Aussie Jones.
“I think Warren would probably be even better than Eddie Jones," he added.
“He has coached Wasps before and has been around the English players with the Lions and I think the RFU would love him.
“I can see it happening. He is a clever guy and knows when to go and I think it is the right decision to make a change. He has done so much for Wales and I believe he can win the World Cup in Japan this year."
