Friday 25 September 2015 12:26, UK
Tomas Francis says the prospect of taking on England in the World Cup was too much even to dream for a year ago.
The Exeter prop will win his fourth Wales cap in Saturday's huge Pool A game at Twickenham on the back of a fine first season in the English Premiership.
The transition from Doncaster to Test rugby, via London Scottish, has not always been plain sailing for Francis, who said: "International rugby is different from the Premiership and I've had to get used to that.
"It was a shock to the system when I first joined the [Wales] squad and there were some dark days during the July training camp in Qatar. I didn't know if we were going to get through it, but it's here now and that is in the bank.
"The rest of the boys got me through it. No-one wanted to drop out and you thrive in that environment. Everyone is in the same boat and you get through it together.
"I never dreamt a year ago that I would be playing in the World Cup against England at Twickenham - it hasn't sunk in yet. Things have happened so quickly, I've not had time to stop and think.
"It's a game of rugby at the end of the day and you have to do the basics well, which is something I have always done and which has got me here.
"My conditioning and fitness have come on massively since I've been with Wales. My impact around the pitch has come on a lot and I have worked on my scrummaging."
Francis' scrummaging skills will be given a thorough examination by opposite number Joe Marler this weekend.
"The front five is where they will try and take us on and where it will be won and lost," he said. "I played against Joe Marler once early last season when Exeter beat Harlequins. It went alright, but Quins didn't have the best scrummaging pack then.
"He has a great pack around him now and, like us, they have been together a long time. He's a strong boy and has a big reputation."
