My Life in Rugby: Anthony Buchanan – former Wales and Llanelli prop

The year Wales won the Triple Crown in the 1988 Six Nations I was called up while I was at work to play in the decisive match against Ireland.
At the time I was working as a fitter down in the local colliery and they managed to get hold of me to say Staff Jones, our loose- head, had pulled his hamstring and they needed me.
When I think back, it was remarkable they managed to contact me a mile and a half underground – but all I cared was that I was on the plane to Dublin.
I started and it was a very physical match, as it was always against them, but I had experience of playing with some of the Irish guys with Llanelli.
It was not a terrific game but we got the result 9-12 and it meant we won the Triple Crown, which was not an easy thing to do.
The Guinness was definitely flowing for us and our fans that night. I think a few of us may have had a pint or two too many, but we had 28,000 travelling Welsh with us in Dublin and it turned into a great weekend.
In terms of my introduction to rugby, I was quite a late comer to the game as I didn’t get into it until I was 22 and I started playing for my local club.
It was my wife Alana who got me into it, her brother was captain of the side and instead of carrying on playing in goal for my football team, she convinced me to give the oval ball a go instead.
I started playing at No.8 and played there for three years but upon joining Llanelli, they convinced me to move to the front row.
I must have done something right because I got picked to go to the first ever World Cup in 1987.
It was an amazing experience and something that will stay with me forever. I’d been on tour with Llanelli to various places like America but this was something different.
Playing every five days instead of just on a Saturday took some getting used to. It was in the days before the game was professional so I was used to training two nights a week with my club side. It was so much more intense to what I had experienced.
I remember playing England and then losing to New Zealand before having to face Australia in the third place play off.
We managed to get in up the touch line in the last couple of seconds to take a 22-21 win. It was amazing to think you were third best in the world.
I feel very proud to have played a part in the first ever Rugby World Cup, it was something that was needed and has obviously grown into the huge tournament we have today.
I was forced to change jobs in 1990 when it was announced the colliery was shutting while I was on tour in America.
I ended up working for a chemical company with Gareth Jenkins and we have been together ever since from playing together at Llanelli and then coaching together.
The club is very close to my heart. It gives people an opportunity and I’m very grateful they gave me one.
Without that I wouldn’t have achieved what I did in my 30-year career. I had ten years playing the game, made something like 238 appearances for the club and now I’m keen to keep give something back through the coaching side.