There have been few better servants to Welsh rugby over the past decade than Josh Navidi.
The man from Bridgend has been at the coalface for 14 years, winning 33 caps for Wales, touring with the British & Irish Lions, and making 184 appearances for Cardiff.
In his prime, the 32-year-old was a world class player, a destructive blindside who was among the most physical loose-forwards in the game, and was an integral figure in the Wales side between 2017 and 2022.
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But all good things must come to an end, and a neck injury suffered on Wales' summer tour of South Africa last season brought his career to its conclusion.
It would have been very strange if the former Cardiff star didn't have a little bit of a gut check when he was told the news, but Navidi has no regrets.
"After the specialist advised me to retire I had like a minute in the car where it hit me and I thought 'I'm never going to go back onto that pitch'," Navidi told WalesOnline.
"It was only a brief moment but then I snapped out of it, and I'm at peace and happy with what I've achieved in my career.
"My dad always said to me 'every game could be your last', and I always had that attitude going into games.
"It's not as if it was a surprise. I always knew if I had one bad injury that would be it."
Navidi's story is a stark reminder to players of how quickly a career can end, and the importance of putting health first.
"I originally suffered the injury in the third test out in South Africa last summer," he said.
"I had my bone cleared because it was pinching on the nerve in the neck.
"I've been having a weakness in my hand, tingling in my fingers, and loss of strength in my shoulder.
"It would also feel different to touch.
"The best way I can describe it is when you get pins and needles; it's how your hand feels when it's almost back to normal.
"It feels like it's not your hand.
"I still get symptoms today now and then but it's a lot more manageable now.
"Over Christmas we really pushed my neck rehab-wise with weights but it started to flare up.
"We then had to make a decision.
"It got a bit better but then I went to speak to the specialist, and he put the nail in the coffin when he said if I was still getting symptoms from doing light stuff then it's not going to settle trying to be a professional rugby player.
"That's when I realised I wasn't coming back but I'm happy with everything I've achieved, and I'm excited about what's to come next for me."
Being a professional rugby player in Wales can be all-consuming, especially those who are lucky enough to represent the national side.
Navidi was fortunate enough to do this on 33 occasions, and experienced his fair share of highs including playing a key role in Wales' 2019 Six Nations Grand Slam winning campaign, and reaching a World Cup semi-final a few weeks later.
So, what was the highlight of his career?
"My first game for Cardiff was awesome, and my first cap for Wales in Japan," he said.
"Probably my proudest moment was my first game at home for Wales against Australia in front of a huge crowd at the Principality Stadium.
"I knew my friends and family were there.
"Winning the Challenge Cup for Cardiff in Bilbao was in my top three, along with winning the Grand Slam in 2019, and running out for Wales as captain against Ireland in one of the pre-World Cup warm-up games.
"The Lions was a weird one because for me playing for Wales in the World Cup is the biggest thing.
"I never thought about the Lions growing up, it was a bonus for me; a bit like having chocolate sprinkles on your ice cream.
"When the squad gets announced you might get excited, and even though it was a huge honour to represent them, playing for Wales in the World Cup is the ultimate.
"When I got the phone call from Alan Phillips to go out there it didn't sink in because I had to drive to Exeter, fly up to Scotland, meet all the boys, and then fly out to South Africa in the first day."
With any players there can be low points in a career, and in a rugby-mad nation like Wales it can be easy to get caught up in the negativity.
But Navidi has always been a constructive individual, and during his playing days worked hard away from the field to ensure he had set himself up ready for the moment he finally hung up his boots.
He runs a successful car dealership named Cute Club with his close friend Jack Wilkins, while he is also a well-respected DJ who is a regular fixture on the Cardiff night life secene.
"It started off with me just buying my own cars, driving them, and then selling them the next year because I've always been a petrol head," he said.
"I've always had sporty cars but now I go for stuff with less fuel, and I've always changed my cars every year.
"I started going to auctions for my own stuff and then boys were asking me what's the best VIP deal with all these lease deals that we get offered.
"I was advising some of the Cardiff boys for years on how to get the best deals for cars, and some boys were asking for cars you couldn't get on the VIP scheme.
"They wanted all sorts like performance cars and one thing led to another.
"Boys started asking about finance and then it led me down that path, then into warranties, and then we would just meet people day to day.
"Now we have got a forecourt, and we are a car dealership which buys and sells cars.
"We are open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, but we take appointments in the evenings, and on the weekend."
Cars are not Navidi's only passion away from the rugby field, with music also playing a big part in his life.
He is a well-respected DJ in Cardiff who has done a number of gigs around the Welsh capital.
"I did my first club set in over a year the other week which was a student night in Revs in Cardiff," he said.
"It was nice to be back out playing there rather than just being in a house party or messing around with friends.
"It's something I really enjoy and it's something different compared to rugby.
"Obviously when I'm fit and training it can be quite tough considering I'd finish Djing at 3am, by the time I get home it's 3.30am, and then I'm up at 7am for training again.
"When I'm injured it's easy but when I'm fit it's tough to find time to do it because the last thing you want to do is go Djing the night before a game.
"I have done it after a few Wales games in the past covering for my mate.
"I remember he asked me after one Cardiff game which we lost so I put a beany on to make sure nobody recognised me!"
Welsh rugby has been in a state of crisis over the past few months with a contractual freeze at all four regions, which has only recently been lifted, leaving players in a very vulnerable and unfair position.
A strike ahead of Wales' Six Nations test with England was only narrowly avoided but with wages getting driven down, and a regional salary cap being put in place, now is the best time for players to start thinking about their long-term futures.
Navidi still had a year remaining on his Cardiff contract but he admits all the uncertainty did play on his mind.
"At the end of the day, rugby is like any other line of work. You've got bills to pay like electric, gas and your mortgage, while most of the boys have a family to look after," he said.
"It's harder playing rugby because your hours are all over the place. You don't work a 9-5 so if you did want to pick up extra work it's hard because the hours are not flexible.
"That's the frightening thing about it because if you don't know where you are standing and if your contract is out this season and you've got until May to sign somewhere but you haven't got anything on the table then where do you go?
"In rugby you've got about 40 players at each club and there's so many players out there it can be tough to find a new club.
"I'd advise any young player to do something off the field whether it's a course or an apprenticeships so they have something they can fall back on."
Since 2017 Navidi has been a permanent fixture in the Wales squad, with much of his focus on success at test level.
In four months time Wales will begin their World Cup campaign against Fiji in Bordeaux with expectations at an all time low following a bitterly disappointing 18 months which saw Wales lose at home to both Italy, and Georgia.
But Navidi is confident Warren Gatland can turn around Wales fortunes, and has pinpointed one player he thinks is destined for stardom.
"It's obviously been a tough period for Wales, and I get why people are frustrated but I honestly think they can turn it around, and have a good World Cup," he said.
"The Six Nations wasn't great results wise, but Wales got better as the performance went on.
"People don't realise how much Wales could change tactically and from a game plan perspective in the training camps. It could be transformational.
"Wales are on the right side of the draw, and they are capable of going far in the competition.
"One player who I'm really excited about is Jac Morgan. I think he's an exceptional player who has the potential to hit the heights.
"A back-row of Jac, Justin Tipuric, and Taulupe Faletau is the way I'd go for the World Cup."
Cute Club is open 9am-5pm Monday to Friday with appointments available on the weekend.
Ty Verlon Industrial Estate, Cardiff Rd, Barry CF63 2BE
https://www.cute-club.co.uk/
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