Owen Lane is determined to put his injury worries behind him as he looks ahead to a bright future with his hometown club after penning a new deal with Cardiff Blues.
The academy graduate, who marked a half century of appearances for the Arms Park outfit earlier this season, has an impressive 24 tries to his name since making his Guinness PRO14 debut in 2017/18 campaign.
The former Peter Thomas Player of the Year winner has also picked up two caps for Wales, including a Rugby World Cup appearance against the All Blacks in the 2019 Bronze Final.
However, the Whitchurch High School alumni has had a stop-start few months on the rugby field, with a series of injuries limiting a consistent run of games for club and country. His latest return to action came in a try-scoring display during February's friendly over Ospreys.
Having secured his future in Cardiff, it's full steam ahead for the man known as 'The Lane Train', who is fully focused on the future rather than reflecting on the past.
"I’m over the moon to extend my stay here and like I’ve said in the past, it’s my home region and it’s where I’ve wanted to play my rugby since I was young. It was a no-brainer for me," explained the Welsh international star.
"I want to try and get myself back in the Wales set-up and to do that I need to be playing in Wales and playing well and hopefully we’re able to knuckle down as a team, get some good results and that will come my way.
"At this stage of my career, I’m still very young but I’ve had quite a tough 12 months, if I’m honest, in terms of injuries and things not going my way.
"It was an obvious decision for me to get myself back fit, stay here and look to put good performances in for Cardiff Blues week-in, week-out.
"Hopefully I’ll warrant some Wales selections somewhere along the line.
"My thought process was that we're going towards the right place and there's a lot of talent here. I want to continue playing here and with Wales aspirations as well, it was a no-brainer. There was no other option in my mind.
"It’s exciting now that Dai’s come in. It’s been a change and I think it’s been for the better.
"We’re going through an adjustment period now where we adapt to the way he wants us to play the game, we figure each other out and he’s yet to decide what his best team is.
"It would be really nice if Dai would stay and hopefully he does commit his future with us because I think we can achieve something really special as a group under him.
"It’s really exciting and hopefully we can build on that. We’ve got a lot of youngsters in the team and, especially during this period where we’re losing a lot of our international players, it’s a good opportunity for them to step up.
"You saw that with Mason Grady last week. He put in an exceptional performance in and he’s got a big future ahead of him with us.
"It’s a very exciting place to be at the moment and there’s a good group of youngsters that we can hopefully keep a hold of and we can keep developing as players.
"Hopefully that will be the future generation of stars here.
"I’m happy at the moment, but I don’t feel like I’ve been very lucky over the last few months. I’d come back, hit a run of form and then I’d pick up another injury and that seems to have been the story of my life over the last 18 months.
"It can be difficult at times, but it’s a part and parcel of the game. I’ve learnt from all those experiences and if I let those experiences get to me then I’ll achieve nothing.
"All I can concentrate on is trying to train at 100 per cent week-in, week-out and play the same. Hopefully then I can hit the ground running and stay fit this time.
"If I’m being honest, I’ve struggled at times and my personality type is one that over-thinks. It’s very easy to play the victim and think ‘why is this happening to me?’.
"But from personal experience, that really doesn’t help the situation in any way, shape or form. I’ve got a great support network from my friends and family, who have been fantastic.
"They’ve helped me through what has been some pretty tough times.
"It's also a testament to the physios. They're the ones you spend the dark days in the gym with and chasing cones in the pouring rain instead of chucking the ball around and doing what you want to do.
"They're the ones that instil the confidence in you that you will get back to the same place you were before. We're lucky to have a great medical team here and Gruff Parsons is one I've been lucky to work closely with, and he also worked with Ellis.
"He's been massive for me both on and off the field, in terms of getting me through the darker days, but now I'm on the other side of that now and just looking forward to getting some ball in hand and trying to win games here."
It's been 16 months since Lane won the last of his two caps - against New Zealand - which followed an international debut to remember as he scored a try against Ireland at a packed Principality Stadium.
With Wales currently heading into round four of the Guinness Six Nations with their 100 per cent record intact, their success only makes Lane even hungrier to perform well for Cardiff and earn his spot back on the international stage.
He added: "They’re doing extremely well at the moment, and it’s good to see that.
"But as a player from outside the set-up, it’s always tough but it always gives you something to aspire to.
"I’ve been in the set-up before and that’s only made me more hungry to get back in there. Seeing them doing so well only drives that motivation to go out and perform well yourself.
"If you don’t do that and ultimately if you don’t perform here at the Arms Park then I won’t have a hope of going up and getting an opportunity with Wales."