At the age of five or six I just used to kick the ball with both feet. I wasn't very good to start with but I practised and practised. Once I finally got it, it was an unbelievable sensation. It was then that I realised that if you work at something, it pays off.

You've got to be dedicated to train as hard as you can, for as long as you can, because in any sport, and especially this environment, there's a lot of contact. It's all about conditioning and good preparation to keep your body in the best condition possible to play games.

The only advice I could give is to stay positive and focused in terms of what your goals are, and stick to them. If you can't attain those goals, maybe they're not realistic. At this level only a small percentage of players make it, so you've really got to strive to get what you want.

I'm the granddaddy of this side. I'm the oldest person playing in the team, so I've got a mentoring role. I've been around the tracks and achieved a few things. I try to make sure that the younger players reach their full potential, and stay on the right track.

Everybody reacts differently. For me defeat lingers around for different time periods. I can dwell on some for five minutes or sometimes I can still be thinking about it a week later. It all comes down to experience. You need to reflect on your mistakes and move on. Luckily you always get the opportunity to turn things around in your next performance.

One of the highlights of my career was playing first class rugby for my province, which was Wellington. Another highlight was playing first class rugby with my brothers. Not many brothers get to do that. I can't explain what it felt like to be out there, playing with them. It was a great feeling.

My father's a keen sportsman, and so is my mother. My mother's brothers all played international rugby for Samoa. That's where I got my dreams from.