One month in the life of a retired rugby player: DAN BIGGAR on taking in the Lions tour as an outsider and making memories at the Steve Irwin Zoo

It’s my first full month as a retired rugby player and I must say I’m loving it so far. 

When I was a schoolboy, my late mum took me out to Australia to watch the 2003 Rugby World Cup and it feels a bit like I’ve come full circle. 

I’m out here with my wife, Alex, and our two children, Ollie and James. They’re seven and two so we’ve got our hands full! We’ve got two Queen beds in the room so the little one’s in the cot and we have two beds for the rest of us and there’s bags sprawled out all over the floor. 

Alex is in the gym three or four mornings a week when I look after the kids. It’s been nice to have a little bit of a break from that training routine. I’ll get into a bit more running and padel when I get home. I’ve not put on any weight just yet! 

It’s a totally different experience to touring as a player. When you’re part of an elite team like the Lions, you have someone picking up your bags and telling you where to be. You’re in a bit of a bubble and everything is so easy. You realise how fortunate you are when you’re in a squad environment because literally everything gets done for you. They have so many staff, there are advanced parties, your bags are waiting for your in your hotel room. It’s completely different. 

But it’s been an incredible experience. We’ve been to the Sydney Opera House, visited some friends who came out here on holiday 10 years ago and never went back. On Monday we stayed at the hunter’s lodge at the Steve Irwin Zoo in Brisbane. I hope they’re memories my kids cherish, just like I cherish those memories from 2003. 

Mail Sport columnist – and former British & Irish Lions tourist – Dan Biggar is following this year’s cohort with his family

Biggar has also been spending time with his fellow Sky Sports pundit Ronan O’Gara 

Biggar, his wife Alex, and their two children have spent time exploring as much as following Andy Farrell’s side

In Canberra last week, I got the chance to speak to Steven Larkham. He was the star of the Wallabies when I came here in 2003 so that was a bit of a pinch me moment. It was like meeting an idol. 

I’ve loved working with Ronan O’Gara on the Sky Sports commentary, too. We’ve had a bit of a family golf competition with the O’Garas. He’s brought his family out too and our kids love playing together, so that’s a real bonus. 

ROG has been retired 13 years now. He hasn’t played with any of the guys he’s commentating on out here. For me, I know a lot of them quite well so it’s quite an unusual dynamic. I like to think I call it as I see it, but it’s definitely harder. 

When I go to watch the kicking session, I’ve got a lot of good friends out there – guys like Fin Smith – but it does feel like you’re very much on the outside now. I got moved along by the media manager in Canberra the other day – he told me I’ve gone to the dark side! You just have to accept that. You see the unglamourous side of it but I have really enjoyed it. 

I’ve had the chance to sit down with Blair Kinghorn, Jamison Gibson-Park and Henry Pollock. You prep for those interviews like you prep for a game. You can’t rock up and blag it because you’ll like foolish. Prepping your questions, knowing what the players are like, how they’ve been performing. 

The Biggar family flew to Australia via Qatar Airways – where his sons were able to crash out in the airline’s double beds

We flew with Qatar Airways in their Qsuites. The kids crashed out in the double bed and I logged onto the Starlink Wi-Fi on my laptop and watched hours of analysis clips. The production guys were sending me videos and I could download them rapid quick. It was unreal! 

From taking off in Paris, the whole experience has been unreal. There are a few things on the pitch I haven’t agreed with – I’m surprised Kyle Sinckler hasn’t been called up given the reinforcements they’ve been flying out – but that’s the beauty of sport. There’s always debate. I’m sure there will be plenty more debate over the next few weeks – and I’m backing the Lions to win the series 3-0!