On Monday, Martyn Williams sealed a stunning turnaround in fortunes when he was named RBS Six Nations Player of the Championship.
Weeks before the tournament, the 29-year-old looked unlikely to even make the Welsh starting line-up, let alone prove the tournament's star performer.
But after Colin Charvis pulled out with an ankle injury, the Cardiff Blues flanker was handed a starting berth.
And the rest is history as Williams went from also-ran to a serious contender for a Lions starting place after a series of barnstorming performances.
He was omnipresent throughout, mixing it with the most fleet-footed backs - most notably capped by his two match-winning tries against France - and getting down and dirty with the forwards - highlighted by his bleeding nose at the end of virtually every game.
He told BBC Sport: "This award and the praise has been unexpected and I feel for Colin Charvis as we've played a lot of games together."
When Mike Ruddock was appointed Wales coach last year, he took Williams aside, telling him he would not be going on the summer tour to enable him to rest and bulk up.
 |  This award goes to my family for all the hard times they've been through |
Williams recalled: "When I was overlooked I thought that was the beginning of the end for my career. There was so much to do and so many good players competing for the places.
"But since then I feel like I've gone from strength to strength, and I've had the full backing of the players and the management throughout."
Williams had to fully restructure his diet and spend three months in the gym, enabling him to build his body mass ahead of the Six Nations, and the rewards have been instantaneous.
Plaudits have come thick and fast for the Blues flanker, praised after enjoying something of an Indian summer following more than 50 Test caps.
But his physical battle in getting back into Ruddock's mindset has only been part of the battle in recent years.
In 2000, he lost his 18-year-old brother Craig to cancer, who he was quick to remember in Saturday's Grand Slam celebrations.
"My mum and dad were at the game on Saturday," he said, "and this award goes out to them and, of course, Craig and the rest of my family after all the hard times we've been through.
| MARTYN WILLIAMS FACTFILE Born:1/9/75 Position: Flanker Club: Cardiff Blues Test caps: 54 Test tries: 7 |
"On top of that, though, I'd also like to dedicate this to all the players in the squad and to those who missed out because of injury."
Before Saturday's triumph, Williams's career highlight had been the win over France in Paris in 2001.
In 2005, he insisted his career high had changed three times.
"Leading Wales against England for my 50th cap was amazing," he said. "That was enough of a Six Nations high for me.
"But that was surpassed by scoring those two tries against France."
The French had been beating Wales 15-9 at half-time, having dominated proceedings, before Williams scored two tries in rapid succession moments after the interval.
Williams continued: "I've got to say that, despite what happened in Paris, it was totally overshadowed by the scenes in Cardiff.
"Not long ago we had lost 10 games in a row and we're called the worst side in the world. Suddenly we felt on top of the world."
Williams has been among the lynchpins of the Welsh resurgence and, as a result, has been tipped for a starting place in Sir Clive Woodward's Lions XV.
But the eternally modest Blues star said: "The Lions place has genuinely not been in the mindset but it would be a huge thing to get selected for the Lions."
Come April, Williams looks certain to get Sir Clive's call.
MMIX
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