Lloyd Fairbrother: Dragons prop savours Wales debut in Barbarians victory

Lloyd Fairbrother joined Dragons in 2014 and has made 166 appearances for the region

Anybody who dismissed Wales' game with the Barbarians last weekend has not spoken to Dragons prop Lloyd Fairbrother.

The 31-year-old received a shock call-up to make his first Wales appearance for Warren Gatland's side in the 49-26 win against the Baa-Baas at the Principality Stadium on Saturday.

For Fairbrother, the experience was made all the more special and poignant by ensuring his mother Pat was there to witness it.

The family continues to grieve the loss of his sister Julie who died from cancer in the last 12 months, while Fairbrother's brother Paul also died from bowel cancer in 2007.

"Rugby can be one of those games where things are going so well and then things aren't," Fairbrother told the latest Scrum V podcast.

"It can be a lonely game sometimes on the pitch, and off the field it has been a tough old year.

"I lost my sister at the start of the year and I probably haven't properly taken that in. Rugby just comes and you have to get back into the games and training.

"She got ill about this time now [last year] so to end the year with this, for that to go full circle, means an awful lot.

"I haven't really got much family, I have my dear mum and she has been through hell and back.

"She is a very strong woman and I love her dearly, I don't mind saying that.

"To get her back up to Wales just for the weekend and in the stadium singing the anthem as best as I could, it meant everything to us.

"We shared a moment afterwards on the pitch; sometimes that is what rugby is about.

"I know caps are important and money and stuff like that, but to have my mum on the side of the pitch, just for a moment, was lovely."

Nicknamed originally the "Cornish Barrel", Fairbrother was born in the English county where his dad originated from, but he has lived in Wales for almost 10 years since signing for the Dragons.

His mother's Welsh heritage - she hails from Blaenavon - enhanced Fairbrother's day in the red jersey.

He joined up with the squad only two days before, answering the call to solve Wales' tight-head prop injury crisis.

"I really enjoyed it and loved every minute, it was everything I dreamt of," said Fairbrother.

"It was just a crazy week and I tried to soak everything up. After the game I was finally able to sit down and take in everything that happened.

"I got a phone call on Wednesday morning. I didn't sleep Wednesday night before I got there nice and early the following morning.

"I was early to everything, first on the bus, I just wanted to put my best foot forward with everybody.

"All the players and coaches welcomed me in and gave me some calls to nail down. When somebody said something to me I wrote it down straightaway, I had a little pad and I was able to pick it up in a day or two."

Lloyd Fairbrother (left) and Elliot Dee were among seven Dragons players involved in the Wales squad against Barbarians

Then came match day and the bus ride into the ground. For seasoned internationals it has perhaps become the norm. For Fairbrother, it was a magical first eye-opening experience.

"I will always remember that journey into the city, it was something else," said Fairbrother.

"I had no music on, I was just looking out the window and seeing the Welsh passion.

"That is the first time I have seen something like that so I will always remember it.

"Coming down Westgate Street with all the police shire horses stomping away, it was just rows and rows of passionate Welsh people of all generations. I just loved that. It touched me, it was brilliant.

"You jump off the bus and there is a choir singing and it was surreal. I had never felt that sort of passion before."

While Fairbrother has now played for Wales, he is yet to play in an official international because this was an uncapped game. Try telling him that.

"I didn't get a cap, but I will take it, put it that way," said Fairbrother.

"It came out of nowhere. I didn't know if the day would come.

"I have heard some of the critics say it was a Mickey Mouse game or whatever, but to me it was everything and I loved it. I am immensely proud of that."

Whether that official cap comes remains to be seen. Fairbrother played in the fixture because Wales had five tight-heads missing with French-based duo Henry Thomas and Tomas Francis and Harlequins prop Dillon Lewis unavailable.

Cardiff's Keiron Assiratti was initially named in the squad but pulled out injured with a leg injury, while Fairbrother's fellow Dragon Leon Brown had a calf problem.

"I would love another taste of it and would be honoured," said Fairbrother.

"I have heard some things about the Six Nations and future selection.

"I won't look that far ahead. I cherished it for what it was and have little memories in my head of the weekend and I am very happy with that."

Fairbrother is waiting to discover if he impressed Wales coach Gatland.

"We had a couple of little chats about the scrummaging before the game and my opponent on the weekend and after the game we shared a little joke about the scrums and had a beer together," said Fairbrother.

"He is one of those people who as he soon he talks, you zone in. Everything he said to me I wrote down and it was good. I have not had much feedback yet, but I tried my best and I am happy with that."