As he approaches retirement, Toulon and former Wales fly-half Dan Biggar has opened up on his turbulent profession in an autobiography. RW runs the rule over his new e-book
It was on the 2022 Wales tour of South Africa, in a espresso store in Cape City, that esteemed author Ross Harries broached the topic of collaborating with Dan Biggar on an autobiography. After some mild persuasion – “I assumed the method can be like pulling enamel” – the previous Wales captain and fly-half agreed to the undertaking.
“I’ve by no means been on social media, I suppose I’ve by no means had a voice in a way,” says Biggar, the fourth-most capped Welshman with 112 Check appearances for his nation. “So I needed to have my say on my life and profession. The e-book is a very nice approach to have the ability to do it. And the one factor I’ve needed to do with this e-book is to be trustworthy. I’ve been truthful and I’ve been trustworthy in it and I’m actually glad that I’ve managed to try this.”
Dan Biggar: The Biggar Image is printed by Macmillan at the moment and matches Biggar’s character: forthright, thorough, analytical.
There is no such thing as a pandering to the lots, the now Toulon participant even admitting that he “didn’t actually care” about dropping to Australia across the time of his first son’s delivery in 2017. Nor does he faux to be a tub-thumping patriot. “I’m not some jingoistic Welshman who delights in seeing England undergo,” he writes refreshingly.
Taking part in for Toulon in a Champions Cup match earlier this 12 months. That is most likely his closing season (Inpho)
When Rugby World spoke to Biggar, he needed to know what we considered the e-book – not give him hole compliments however what we truly thought. There are a few opinions we occur to disagree with, reminiscent of his view on the notorious Rassie Erasmus video, however so what? It’s an enthralling learn, as highly effective as it’s partaking.
Basically, it will get to the center of Biggar’s persona, the person who didn’t match the picture of an archetypal Welsh No 10 and who developed a rhino pores and skin to deal with all of the flak and setbacks that got here his approach. It’s exhausting to credit score it now however between his Check debut in 2008 and the beginning of the 2013 Six Nations, he garnered solely 11 caps.
Ignored for the 2011 World Cup, he was then ignored by his personal nationwide head coach, Warren Gatland, for the 2013 British & Irish Lions tour – the one one of many 15 Welsh starters within the 30-3 thrashing of England to not be chosen.
Such choices resurrected his insecurities, made him query whether or not he was ok. No matter he did for the Ospreys, whether or not dropping a objective from his personal half on his first begin as an 18-year-old or touchdown a title-winning touchline conversion in Dublin, it felt like he would by no means be one among Gats’ golden boys. At one level he jokes about an alternate title for his e-book: 100 caps and nonetheless s**t!
A drop-goal winner in opposition to Scotland within the 2022 Six Nations, the event of his one centesimal Check cap (Inpho)
But paradoxically he at all times knew nothing would cease him. It’s a part of his intensely aggressive make-up. He cast on and have become one of many Welsh greats, profitable extra caps and scoring extra factors than Cliff Morgan or Barry John, Phil Bennett or Jonathan Davies, or some other legendary Welsh No 10.
And as for the barbs about him being a sluggish, one-dimensional, kicking stand-off? Stuff and nonsense. He fulfilled the position required of him for Gatland’s Wales, then proved he may play an expansive model of rugby by orchestrating the thrilling Northampton Saints assault that broke the report for many Premiership tries in a season.
He loved his four-and-a-half years at Saints greater than some other interval in his profession and, in our November 2024 situation, tells Rugby World that if he was proprietor or CEO of a membership, he would let coach Sam Vesty identify his value to affix it.
Biggar liked his time at Northampton. ‘Every single day I felt I realized one thing, I bought higher,’ he says (Getty)
Naturally, his e-book addresses the problems in Welsh rugby, and what he sees because the missed alternative to attain real change for gamers when their calls for to the Welsh Rugby Union have been compromised on.
His negotiating abilities have been first examined when he was 16 and confronted with an underwhelming supply of £2,000 per 12 months to signal a growth contract with the Ospreys. The opposite lads, Leigh Halfpenny, Kristian Phillips, Ashley Beck and Tom Williams, signed up however Biggar was involved he would possibly even lose cash from the deal due to petrol prices.
So, confronted by proprietor Mike Cuddy, head coach Lyn Jones and assistant coach Sean Holley, he sat right down to argue his case. Cuddy requested him to jot down down what he was thought he was value on a bit of paper and Cuddy did likewise. Biggar wrote down £10,000, Cuddy wrote £12,500. So Biggar bought the bigger determine and you need to say it was a cut price for the membership.
The episode illustrates Biggar’s energy of function. Right here was a lad destined for the highest. He rose at 5.30am to do health club periods at Swansea School, stopping en route to gather his nice pal Halfpenny; he carried a water bottle and took to carrying a weighted vest wherever he went, in order that when he took it off for rugby he’d really feel sharper and extra agile.
He wasn’t fairly as obsessive as his hero Jonny Wilkinson, who he had tried unsuccessfully to fulfill at a Brisbane lodge on the 2003 World Cup, however he definitely shared a few of his traits.
His status for being feisty and aggressive on the pitch is known. Taking part in for Gorseinon in his early teenagers, he bellowed at team-mates for being too lackadaisical at a sevens event in Felinfoel. That set the tone for his profession.
He has shouted at Wales team-mates like Gethin Jenkins and Rio Dyer and George North in matches, he’s fled from an enraged Jerry Collins after calling him a dozy p***okay in coaching, he’s sledged opponents and instructed a Gloucester fan to f*** off. He’s been sarcastic to referees and even known as Luke Pearce “an absolute shame” for not awarding Wales a penalty strive in opposition to France and, most likely, denying them a Grand Slam in 2021.
His dad and mom and his spouse, Alex, instructed him to cease calling till he may accomplish that with out ranting!
Together with his first son, James, at RWC 2019 in Japan (Getty)
Ask Biggar about this and he makes no apologies – it’s merely the individual he’s and he can solely ship Check-match performances at full blast.
“At any time when I look again and I see myself on telly, having a cup of tea when the emotion has gone out of it, you assume, ‘may I’ve dealt with the state of affairs higher?’.
“However being passionate is what bought the perfect out of me as a rule. Once I’m within the second, in full swing, I’m not considering, ‘I’ve bought to verify I look okay’ or ‘this journalist doesn’t prefer it once I react like that’. I’m considering of what’s proper for me and the staff.
“Whenever you care a lot about profitable, it’s exhausting due to the individual I’m. I’m not a Federer-type individual, cool, calm and picked up on a regular basis, whereas you’ve bought somebody like Nadal on the opposite facet of the online who’s getting fired up for each level and each mini-break. If I used to be to be that (Federer kind), it will be me appearing unnatural.
“I wish to assume it reveals I cared for each second. And it’s one factor I’m pleased with, it didn’t matter if it was Glasgow or Connacht away on a Friday night time or if it was Wales-England at Twickenham on a Saturday afternoon within the Six Nations, I cared about profitable each second of each sport. There have been no double requirements.”
That perspective appealed to Wayne Pivac a lot that he made him Wales captain and, finally, Biggar bought the accolades he deserved. If his profession excessive level was the 2015 World Cup, when he was so majestic that Toulouse and Montpellier each made huge provides for him, it was in 2021 that he bought the last word validation that he was the actual deal – by being picked to begin all three Lions Exams in South Africa.
Now practically 35, he’s presumably in his closing season as a participant, on the books of Toulon the place he’s serving to to mentor youthful expertise alongside his enjoying commitments.
He received’t miss the ‘character assassinations’ when he retires.
“The No 10 shirt made me fall in love with the game however it’s additionally made me resentful of it,” he writes. “On the finish of the day, the game doesn’t love you again.”
His e-book is devoted to his late mum, Liz. She was identified with ovarian most cancers simply after her fiftieth birthday in 2004 and lived with it for 17 years earlier than she died 11 days after Biggar realized of his choice for the 2021 Lions. He divides his life between earlier than her loss of life and after her loss of life. “I miss her day-after-day,” he says.
Dan Biggar: The Biggar Image is printed by Macmillan, RRP £22.
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