Dan Biggar says he has relished his role as Wales captain in this season’s Guinness Six Nations Championship.
The Northampton fly-half took over from Alun Wyn Jones, who returns to Wales’ starting line-up against Italy on Saturday after more than four months out because of a shoulder injury.
Wales head coach Wayne Pivac, though, has retained Biggar as skipper, with the countdown continuing to next year’s World Cup in France.
“I’ve enjoyed the responsibility of it, I really have,” Biggar said.
“I probably thought I would have to be thinking a lot more about decisions and the way I controlled myself, but it has felt quite natural.
“Sometimes there have been moments when I have wanted to lose the plot a little bit or give someone a kick up the backside or whatever.
“But I think it has helped in that aspect, making sure the next moment is the most important, as opposed to when you are not captain and you can rant and rave a bit more at the other boys.
“I have really enjoyed it, but I am fully aware that obviously when Al is back properly, that may not be the case.”
Biggar wins his 100th cap in Wales’ Six Nations finale, reaching three figures 14 years after making a Test debut against Canada in Cardiff.
At 32, he remains a pivotal part of the Wales set-up and a third World Cup appears well within his range.
“I’ve said all along that I really think that age is a number,” Biggar added.
“You don’t have a God-given right to be selected. You have got to make sure you are fit and your form is good.
If you are the best person in that position, it doesn't matter what your age is
“If you are 17 and you are good enough, you should be playing, same as if you are 36. If you are the best person in that position, it doesn’t matter what your age is.
“The body feels good when I am training – a little bit stiff on a day off when I am walking down the stairs after games – but generally I feel pretty good and hopefully there is a fair bit to go.”
Wales, despite being well beaten by Ireland and then losing narrowly to England and France, could still finish third in the Six Nations.
They would need to beat Italy with a bonus point, then see how England and Scotland fare in their final games, but it is a realistic prospect.
“We have been exposed because of injuries in the last two campaigns, but what we’ve found certainly in this campaign is a bit of steel about us,” Biggar said.
“I am not saying we have excelled in everything we’ve done, as there are certain areas where we need to get better, but I think the team has found a real never-give-in desire.
“Apart from that first 60 minutes in Dublin, we have toughed it out and mixed with some really good teams. I think we are in a really good spot.
“We are developing lots of depth and hopefully over the next 12-18 months we can get to a peak, which is something we have had a habit of doing.
“We’ve done well at World Cups and hopefully we can do that again.”
