Tuesday 15 September 2015 16:05, UK
Wales full-back Leigh Halfpenny has recalled the moment his World Cup hopes ended after an injury ruled him out of the tournament.
The Toulon star ruptured his anterior ligament in a warm-up game against Italy on September 5 and is set to face at least six months away from the game.
"I felt my knee jarring and hearing a snap at the same time," Halfpenny told Sky Sports News HQ.
"I remember lying on the floor thinking 'that's it, that's the World Cup over for me' as I was in pure agony."
Halfpenny admitted he still held out some hope in the immediate aftermath of the injury while he awaited the results of his scan. However, that hope was swiftly extinguished when he was told the results.
I got the results pretty quickly and I remember answering the phone in the car on the way back from the scan and my stomach dropped.
"That hope was still there when I was with the doctor in the medical room," he added. "He said we would have to wait for the scan results but it could be OK.
"I got the results pretty quickly and I remember answering the phone in the car on the way back from the scan and my stomach dropped.
"As I was told the news, my girlfriend and parents could tell it wasn't good news. I was devastated and it was quite a quiet car journey home but that's the way it goes, injuries are a part of professional sport and life goes on.
"It's about looking forward and getting back on the field."
Scrum-half Rhys Webb was forced to pull out of the squad after damaging ankle ligaments in the same match against Italy and he was later joined on the sidelines by Eli Walker.
The Ospreys wing, who was drafted into the squad as a late replacement for Halfpenny, damaged his hamstring in training and was replaced in the party by Gloucester flanker Ross Moriarty.
Despite the squad reshuffle, Halfpenny believes coach Warren Gatland still has enough strength and quality in his squad to win the World Cup for the first time.
"If the boys play to the standards we set ourselves and play to the capability that we know we can, I have no doubt we can go one step further than we did in 2011 and lift that trophy. I personally believe they have the capability to win."
Wales open up their World Cup Pool A campaign against Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium on Sunday.
