The 37-year-old, now skills coach at rugby union club Gloucester, won 32 caps for Great Britain and toured the southern hemisphere four times.

He tells BBC Sport about the challenges of touring Australia and New Zealand, and his hopes for Great Britain in this year's Tri-Nations.

By Denis Betts Former Wigan & Great Britain star

A tour to the southern hemisphere is a special experience for any sportsman and it could well be the making of the younger Great Britain players out in Australia and New Zealand.

My first tour back in 1990 was career-shaping for me, certainly. It made me grow up as a player and a person, and prepared me for the three further tours I went on.

It's amazing how focussed you can become when everything you're doing is leading up to playing Test matches

As a 19-year-old, spending time with quality players in the intense environment of playing for your country and being scrutinised every week improved me no end.

The bond that grows between the players on a six or eight-week tour is something that lives with you forever and is something you can only truly appreciate if you've done it yourself.

The experiences from all those years ago are still easy to talk about with people who were there, and you feel for people who never had the chance.

The Australian fans are also a big part of the challenge! Most of them are good but, like anywhere in the world, some can be a bit hostile.

Australians are up there with the best when it comes to sledging - especially if you've already lost a Test match!

They're certainly not shy about reminding you of the results when you're walking down the street, but you had to bite your tongue because you had nothing to fight back with!

But the people who sledge you are the minority. One of the joys of touring is getting the chance to see new places, and meet new people.

And it's all character-building anyway, and a crucial part of the learning curve.

I'm really glad this group of players will have the chance to experience all this for themselves. British players over the last five or six years have missed out massively by not having the opportunity to go on tour down under.

Players like Danny McGuire will be better for the tour experience

They will benefit enormously from the experience of playing a Test match in Sydney or Christchurch, and it should be something they can carry through the rest of their careers.

I believe it's the only way of improving international players. You have to play in the opposition's environment and put yourself under the stress of being away from home with your team-mates.

It's amazing how focused you can become when everything you're doing is leading up to playing Test matches.

Even the tours that don't go the way you want help players to develop and grow.

I toured New Zealand in 1996 with the likes of Paul Sculthorpe and Keiron Cunningham. It was a very tough tour - we lost all three Tests and not much went right for us.

It was a low ebb for British rugby league but look at what happened to those players afterwards.

In terms of this year's Tri-Nations, it's obviously going to be very tough, but Brian Noble's got the best side he can possibly pick on the field.

The outside backs look really strong, and the pack, with the likes of Stuart Fielden, is big and will be able to handle itself.

I'd love to see Great Britain get to the final, and I believe they are certainly capable of doing that

But being big and able to handle yourself is something that the Kiwis, in particular, will not be fazed by.

To go to Christchurch and perform after not playing together for a while will be daunting. I think it will all come down to the start - if Great Britain get a foothold in the game early, and avoid getting bashed about, they've got a chance.

But if New Zealand start well it could be a very long night - the Kiwis are like that.

It will be a real test of character and for a side that's not played together for so long, that's very tough.

I'd love to see them get to the final, and I believe they are certainly capable of doing that - and then anything can happen.

The quality of the athletes is very high in a Test so it will look intense and confrontational, but we've got the players and the attitude to be able to handle that.

And I hope our boys will show what they're capable of under pressure. I can't wait to see how they get on, and if they get a good start then they can only grow as individuals and as a team.