Keiron Assiratti will be playing with a smile on his face this season, having proved a few people wrong over the past year.
The tighthead prop’s career seemed to have stalled somewhat as he struggled for first team opportunities and dropped down to play for the Cardiff RFC club side.
But handed another chance with the region, he grabbed it in style during the second half of last season, so much so that he was selected for Wales’ World Cup training squad, going on to make his Test debut during the summer warm-up games.
“I haven’t had it easy. I’ve had to work to get where I am now and finally it’s starting to pay off,” said the 26-year-old Wattstown product.
“I feel like a few people doubted me in my past, so it’s just given me a motivation to shut a few people up.”
Reflecting on his time within the Welsh set-up and the gruelling training camps, he said: “I have never experienced anything like it. It was really tough, but I learned a lot from it.
“I think I’ve grown as a player and as a person. It was a good experience for me and it’s good to be back at Cardiff now. Hopefully I can take all that into the new season.
“It’s nice when a coach of Warren Gatland’s stature backs you.
“It was obviously gutting that I didn’t go to the World Cup. I was devastated, but it’s just on to the next now.
“My goal this season is to be involved in the game more, get my hands on the ball more because that’s what I feel one of my biggest strengths is.
“I feel like my scrum has come on leaps and bounds from what it was because I’ve been given a chance to play.
“I just want the ball in my hand this year. That’s what I need to do. Get involved, get the ball in my hands and play with a smile on my face.”
Assiratti feels Matt Sherratt’s move up to head coach will help him in terms of how he wants to play the game.
“Matt has been here for a while now and me and him get on really well,” he said.
“He is good, he has always backed me. I feel, with him, I will be able to get involved in the game more as he plays nice free-flowing rugby. It would be good for me to get a good run of games under him.
“I feel since I came back from Wales, there has been nothing but positivity here. All the boys are smiling and enjoying it. It’s been a good vibe, so we are just ready to go now. It’s been a long pre-season and we are ready to get into the games.
“We know we have got a young team this year, we’ve just got to go out and enjoy our rugby. We are just going to try and perform well for the fans and give everything for the badge.”
With rival tightheads Tomas Francis, Dillon Lewis and Henry Thomas all playing outside of Wales and likely unavailable for the out-of-window international against the Barbarians next month, Assiratti would look favourite to start at No 3.
“I would love to put the jersey on again,” he declares.
But he knows he has to perform at regional level first, starting with Saturday evening’s URC opener against Benetton at the Arms Park.
“We expect a good battle and know we have got to be on the money from minute one to beat these,” he said.