91Èȱ¬

Gareth played for Wales 53 times between 1967 and 1978, and was involved in three Grand Slams and five successive Triple Crowns. Find out his secrets to success.

Dedicate yourself

You have to be dedicated. You've got to work on your talent, and you've got to believe in your own ability. There is no question that you have to sacrifice a great deal. I always had a strong desire to succeed in sport and I was very determined.

Work as a team

Rugby is a great example of teamwork. You need the big forwards to get the ball for you, and then you need the backs to score the tries, so everybody has to rely on one another. Without all those components working together you're never going to get outstanding success. This applies to whichever team sport you play, but I can talk specifically about rugby, and my experience of having played for Wales and for the Lions in successful sides. There is no doubt that team spirit went a long way to ensuring our victories.

Never give up!

Not everybody will be able to play at the highest level, but the main thing is to enjoy it. If you enjoy the game then you'll want to work at it. It'll be hard work and it certainly won't be easy, but never give up, always be prepared to learn and, more importantly, always be prepared to listen. Advice will be plentiful from all kinds of people when you grow up, and I think it's sometimes difficult to distinguish between what is good and what isn't good advice at the time. Play to the best of your ability and take the good criticism on board.

Help is at hand

Success on the rugby field, as in life, comes when everybody is pulling together. It is important to be aware that sometimes you have to rely on other people for help in order to achieve your goals.