Wales winger Leigh Halfpenny has admitted he is hoping he can go on to emulate 2008 IRB player of the year Shane Williams.
Cardiff youngster wants to emulate his role model
Wales winger Leigh Halfpenny has admitted he is hoping he can go on to emulate 2008 IRB player of the year Shane Williams.
Halfpenny, who will line-up alongside Williams at the Millennium Stadium against Australia on Saturday, believes the 32-year-old has set the standard for others to match.
And the Cardiff youngster, who has already scored five tries in nine appearances for Wales, wants to follow in the footsteps of his idol.
"Shane is my role model," said Halfpenny, who was part of the British and Irish Lions tour to South Africa at the age of just 20.
"I have always looked up to him growing up. We were talking about the past the other day, the 2005 Grand Slam season and where I was at the time.
Ambassador
"I was at my local rugby club, Gorseinon, watching it. But then it's just great to be chatting to Shane because he is a fantastic ambassador for the whole country.
"I hope he carries on with the way he has been playing, but hopefully I can get close to the way he plays.
"Watching him on television as a youngster, when he played for Neath, was inspirational. I just hoped I would be up with him one day.
"To me, the great thing about Shane is the type of man he is and the way he has played the game.
"If I can achieve half of what he has in his career, I will be really pleased. He's been outstanding and it would be great to get close to emulating him."
