Taine Basham

HAVING MADE it to the Test arena from the regional game with the Dragons, crossing the tracks into more treacherous territory, Taine Basham has been rocked like a southbound train. And you know what? He’s loved it.

He made his Wales debut in a summer of Lions action, coming off the bench each time for a full house – a win against Canada, a draw with Argentina and then a loss to the Pumas. Then in November, he started four Tests in a row against some serious units. He came out with plaudits against the All Blacks, went toe-to-toe with the Springboks, dug in against Fiji and was Player of the Match in the win over the Wallabies.

So how has his physical world changed?

“You kind of feel the differences between people carrying at you,” the back-rower says of felling foes in the United Rugby Championship when