Wales lock Bradley Davies says the demons of previous foreign tours aren’t haunting him at the current World Cup.
Davies, who has become an important part of the Welsh set up since making his debut as a 22-year-old in February 2009, suffers from home sickness on trips abroad.
Those feelings hit hard on the 2010 tour of New Zealand but haven’t been an issue at the seventh global gathering in the same country.
Wales have already been in the Land of the Long White Cloud for close to a month but Davies is more than happy to extend that stay even further ahead of Sunday’s final pool clash with Fiji and a probable quarter-final tie against Ireland.
"I'm one of the worst in the squad in that I get homesick quite a lot," Davies told the Western Telegraph.
"The last time we were in New Zealand, for a fortnight, I was terrible for the second week, missing home and stuff.
"This time the homesickness hasn't been a problem. I haven't really thought about it.
"Obviously you miss your family. But you've got your Skype so you can make voice and video calls over the internet, and you also have your mobile.
"Having (mental skills coach) Andy McCann around also helps. He's just an awesome guy. When you turn around he's next to you, having a chat with you and asking you how's life.
"I'm missing my dog and my girlfriend…but we've been keeping really busy, training, playing and we've also had activities. The boys have been speed-boating, playing golf. We've got an entertainment committee and we do stuff on our days off."
As for on-field matters, Davies is currently involved in a three-way battle for the two second row spots with Ospreys skipper Alun Wyn Jones and Dragons captain Luke Charteris.
Davies and 2009 Lion Jones appeared to have the position sewn up until recent months when Charteris forced his way back into something more than just a reliable reserve.
And with the trio having shared game time in the opening three matches of the World Cup and all produced impressive performances, it’s anyone’s guess who’ll start against the Fijians.
"It's swings and roundabouts. One day you are in the team and on top of your game, the next you are on the sidelines," added Davies, who saw Charteris put in an incredible 22 tackles against Samoa, while Jones carried the ball 20 times against Namibia.
"But we are trying to develop world-class locks, so competition is part of the deal.
"If I'm not picked, I'm not picked. I don't make an issue of it. The other guy is better than me in the eyes of the selectors.
"I just try to train hard and make an impact off the bench if I get that opportunity.
"We know Fiji will be a massive threat. They beat us in the last World Cup, but that was four years ago. We had a different squad, a different coach — what happened then isn't really an issue now. We all want to make sure Sunday is different."
