Most former Wales players will tell you how lucky they are to have had the careers they did.
But Matthew Rees is someone who has more reason than most to feel fortunate.
That’s because in 2013 – aged just 32 – he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, leaving him facing the biggest fight of his life.
Happily, it was a fight he won and within six months he was back playing rugby again. Even more remarkably, just a matter of weeks later he resumed his Test career with Wales.
Since hanging up his boots in 2019, the former hooker has remained heavily involved in the game, as a player manager with Engage Sport and as a coach.
His latest coaching assignment has seen him link up with Welsh Premiership club Bargoed, a challenge he is thoroughly looking forward to.
As he confirms when we meet up for a chat, the man known throughout the game as Smiler has good reason to live up to his nickname.
He certainly has some career to look back on, having won 60 Wales caps and two Grand Slams, captaining his country nine times and also being a Test Lion.
It was a journey which began when he took up rugby at around 11 with the local club in his home village of Tonyrefail, where he still lives today.
“I used to watch the Five Nations and enjoy it and I always used to kick a ball around the street,” he recalls.
“But I didn’t actually think about playing the game until one of my best mates asked me to come down and train. After that, I was hooked.”
He progressed through Rhondda Schools which is where he came under the tutelage of legendary coach Chris Jones.
“Chris played a huge part in the early stages of my playing days and put me in good stead for the rest of my career,” he says.
“A number of future internationals came through the system there. He instilled the values and the work ethic that set us up ready for the challenges ahead.
“I have got huge admiration for him for what he has done and is still doing.”
After playing youth rugby for Tonyrefail, Rees started his senior career with Pontypridd and then, after a season with the ill-fated Celtic Warriors, he embarked on a nine-year stay at the Scarlets.
“I was still very young and raw in terms of a front rower when I went down there,” he recalls.
“But I was given opportunities and probably kicked on a lot quicker than I thought I would have.”
That, in turn, saw him receive the call from Wales and in the summer of 2005 he made his Test debut against the USA in Hartford, Connecticut.
The strong-scrummaging hooker was to remain a regular fixture in the squad for the best part of a decade, with a series of highlights along the way.
“There are a few games that stand out,” he says.
“Obviously, there’s your first one, the cap out in America. For any youngster, your ultimate dream is to play for Wales. For a Tonyrefail boy to come through and do it the hard way was a massive achievement for me, my family and the village.
“Then, once you have one, you want to get to ten and so on.
“The game that really sticks out in my mind is the Triple Crown clincher against Ireland out in Croke Park in 2008. That was a big one for me.
“I was originally selected for the bench, but Huw Bennett went down ill the morning of the match, so I was called in to start at the 11th hour.
“I probably had one of my best games for Wales in terms of lineout success against Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan, two very shrewd lineout operators defensively. I think we had 100 per cent lineout and the scrum was very solid.
“Then there was my 50th cap against France in the Grand Slam game in Cardiff in 2012.
“They are probably the three that stick out in my mind.”
Another huge highlight for Rees was the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour of South Africa.
He was to figure in all three Tests, coming off the bench in the first and then starting the next two.
In the infamous second Test against the Springboks at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld, he was selected alongside props Gethin Jenkins and Adam Jones.
It was the first time an all-Welsh front row had been picked for a Lions Test since Billy Williams, Bryn Meredith and Courtney Meredith packed down together in the same country in 1955.
“It’s the pinnacle of anyone’s career to be selected for the Lions and then to be Test Lion as well,” says Rees.
“I had worked hard on my game over the previous few years. That helped me to get on the tour and that was the next step for me. It brought me on as a player again. Being in an environment like the Lions is when you find out the true person inside you.
“I was able to play a part in the three Tests, with the second being the standout one by a country mile.
“That was the most physically intense game I played in during my career.
“Any time you play a South African team, you know what’s coming, especially out there. It’s a hostile environment. But that game was something else.
“If it was played today, it would probably end up seven a side!
“That was the brutality of that game. Clips of it will pop up from time to time and you think ‘Bloody hell, how was that allowed?’
“I will never forget, after that game, five of our players ended up in hospital.
“For the last week, we hardly trained. The boys were so battered and bruised. That’s how intense that second Test was.”
It was the Springboks who came out on top 28-25 in Pretoria thanks to Morne Steyn landing a decisive penalty with the last kick of the game.
That meant they had clinched the series, having won the opener 26-21 in Durban.
“It was a difficult one to take that second Test. We probably deserved to win that game,” says Rees.
“We got the result in the third Test, but obviously we lost the series.”
He added: “To experience a Lions tour is something very special.
“Being selected is one thing, but there is still a lot of work to do then.
“I am just grateful that I came back as a Test Lion and I thought I had a very strong tour.”
The following year, Scarlets skipper Rees had the further honour of being asked to captain his country.
With Ryan Jones injured, it was his hooker that coach Warren Gatland picked to lead Wales out against Australia at the Millennium Stadium in the 2010 autumn opener.
“It was a real surprise. I will never forget the way Gats asked me.
“We were in the barn up at the Vale and he literally just walked past and said ‘Do you want to be captain on the weekend? If not, don’t worry, I will get someone else to do it’ and he just walked on.
“That was Gats for you!”
Rees stayed as skipper for the subsequent autumn Tests against South Africa and New Zealand and then retained the role for the 2011 Six Nations, leading Wales to three Championship victories, including a win over Ireland where his quick throw-in paved the way for a contentious try from Mike Phillips.
“I had a run of games and, in my own mind, I felt I did really well as a captain and a leader.
“It’s always a challenge in Wales as the captain.
“But I enjoyed it and I feel I had a big part to play in those campaigns that I did have the captaincy for.
“Playing for your country is something you always dream of. Captaining your country is obviously at another level again. It was a great achievement for me and my family.”
Having handled the job well, Rees was all set to lead Wales into the 2011 World Cup out in New Zealand.
But then fate intervened as he was ruled out of the tournament by a neck injury which required surgery, with young Sam Warburton taking over at the helm.
“The medical staff did everything they could to give me a chance to go, but ultimately it wasn’t to be,” he says.
“I was just in too much discomfort.
“It was one of the hardest decisions I had to make, but there was no way I could play and ultimately I had to do what was best for myself and the team.
“It was just unfortunate. A neck injury for a front row is a difficult one.
“It was a disappointment because I knew we were in a good place as a squad. With the training camps we had, the boys were literally the fittest we had ever been and I knew we were going to do really well and we did, reaching the semi-final and being unlucky not to reach the final.
“To miss out on the success they had in that World Cup was tough to take. I could have been there as captain. That’s probably the one big regret from my career.”
Having recovered, Rees returned to the Wales squad for the 2012 Six Nations and started the final two games, including the Grand Slam sealer at home to France.
He went on to captain his country for a ninth and final time in a victory over the Barbarians a couple of months later, while he was also to share in the Championship title triumph of 2013.
The diagnosis that changed everything
But then, later that year, following a move to Cardiff, his rugby career was put on hold when his life took a traumatic turn as he was diagnosed with testicular cancer.
“It was just the shock more than anything. I didn’t feel any illness,” he recalls.
“When anyone says the word cancer, it’s a serious thing.
“It was tough being diagnosed and going through the treatment.
“It’s a challenge to overcome any type of cancer. For me, it was difficult.
“Each cancer has its own risk in terms of survival. There are two types of testicular cancer and the type I had was the worst one out of the two unfortunately.
“Everything plays on your mind and everything is going through your head. Your routine is put on hold and you are entering into the unknown.
“It was mentally challenging as well as physically challenging.
“But I was pretty positive all the way through.
“In my own mind, I was adamant that I wanted to get back playing. I wanted to finish on my own terms.
“That was the biggest hurdle I had to get over, to make sure I was able to do that.
“I had some dark days and there were times where I thought I would never play the game again, but I overcame that and came out the other side.”
Looking back, Rees remains hugely thankful to the people who cared for him at Velindre Hospital in Cardiff during his treatment.
“The staff were remarkable. They couldn’t do enough for you,” he says.
“They were outstanding from day one.
“I can only say so much praise for the staff right through Velindre. It’s a special place. The type of people working in these situations, you have got to take your hat off to them.
“You don’t realise how much work goes into the treatment side of it. I was overwhelmed with how much support they gave me right through.”
Reflecting on his treatment, he continued: “It’s taken out of your hands in a way.
“You’ve just got to listen to the specialists, take all the guidance on board and back them to make the right decisions for you.
“You have just got to go through the treatment side of it and hope it works and for me it did.
“I trained pretty much right through up until the end of my treatment. Come the end of it, I hit a bit of a wall, but I took that head on and pushed myself to the limit to make sure it wasn’t going to beat me.
“When you get the final scan results then after your treatment and you are given the green light, that was the best feeling ever really.”
In addition to the staff at Velindre, Rees also has an enduring appreciation for the backing he received from others.
“The big thing for me was the support right across the rugby world,” he says.
“There were a lot of players I played against from New Zealand, Australia and South Africa who sent me messages.
“As much as you want to beat each other when you are on the field, when things like this happen, everyone just gets together and that’s what rugby is all about. That’s what it gives you.
“It made that five or six months a lot easier to deal with. Maybe if I was in a different job, a different profession, it might have been harder to get through.
“I was just so thankful to everyone for their support.
“It was phenomenal, to be honest with you. It was overwhelming. You look back and think what a lucky person I am.
“The support I received from family, friends and the whole rugby world was just amazing and I was so grateful for it.”
After five months out of the game, Rees made an emotional comeback for Cardiff at home to Ulster in March 2014, receiving a moving ovation as he took to the field.
“I will never forget that return game at the Arms Park,” he said.
“I came on for the last 15-20 minutes and it was a great occasion.
“It just goes back to how the rugby community works. It was very touching to have that welcome back. Rugby gives you that.
“Looking back at it now, I probably came back a bit too early. It was tough. But it was just good to be back involved in the rugby side of it.
“I was determined to get back out on the field and, fortunately enough, I did that.”
It was to prove a real fast-track return for Rees. A few weeks later, he was chosen to captain the Possibles against the Probables in an old-style trial match at the Liberty Stadium.
That was followed by selection for Wales’ 2014 summer tour of South Africa where he returned to the international arena by featuring in both Tests against the Springboks.
“To get selected for that tour and then to get capped again out there was very special.
“Any time you represent your country, it’s a great achievement and a great reward.
“But, probably from a physical point of view, I didn’t feel I was in the best shape I could have been.
“In all honesty, I didn’t feel I was 100 per cent fit for international rugby at that stage really.”
That trip was to mark the end of Rees’ Wales career.
After finally calling it a day at 38, Rees moved into coaching and, over the years, he has had spells with Pontypridd, Tonyrefail, Pontyclun, Beddau and Taffs Well.
Now he has linked up with Bargoed for next season.
“When the opportunity arose there, it was something that very much appealed to me, knowing the club and the ambition it has, along with a very strong community feel to it and a good coaching group already in place. It’s a proper club.”
He added: “I just try and keep my hand in the game and help and support as much as I can. I do enjoy that side of it.
“It’s different as a coach compared to when you were a player, but you are still involved and I still have my routine.
“That gives you something to look forward to on the weekend. I enjoy it.
“The set-piece was always something I prided myself on as a player and I still say that to the front row now. Your priority is your set-piece stuff. Anything outside that is an added bonus.”
Rees is also heavily involved in the game through his work as a player manager with Engage Sport.
“For me, the biggest challenge for any player is keeping on top of everything,” he said.
“It can be difficult in the game whether it’s injury, form, selection or contract negotiations and the commercial and the sponsorship side of things.
“It all plays a big part. People on the outside probably don’t really understand how tough it is to be a professional sportsman with all that going on in the background.
“The supporters only see the players running out in the games. They don’t see the stuff that goes on behind the scenes.
“With the players I work with, I see my role as kind of a mentor and supporting them.”
He added: “The same as for everybody in Welsh rugby, it’s been a challenging time with budget cuts and squads a lot smaller than what we are normally used to.
“I was fortunate to experience the good times in Welsh rugby. They seem many years ago now.
“There’s a lot of uncertainty in the game still and a lack of clarity over what’s happening moving forward for the next five to ten years. That’s what everyone wants to hear.”
Now 45, Rees – father to a 19-year-old daughter – still lives in the village of Tonyrefail in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
“I owe the place a hell of a lot. I think honesty is the biggest thing about it, that and the close-knit nature of the community,” he said.
“Coming from Tonyrefail, you don’t get too big-headed or carried away with it all.
“It helped shape me as a person. You were brought up with the right values.
“I am still living there and still enjoying life. If it wasn’t for Tonyrefail, I wouldn’t have achieved what I did in the game.”
As for those achievements, he says: “I look back and I was fortunate to experience a couple of Grand Slams and to play a big part on a Lions tour, while I had some good days with the clubs I played for.
“I can sit back and say I had a good career and I am grateful for everything I achieved.
“If there’s one thing I want to give to young players coming through, it’s that you don’t have to come from the likes of Cardiff, Swansea or Newport to become an international or even a Lion. You can come from a small village like Tonyrefail.
“That’s a big thing for me. You can do it. If you have a strong mindset, good values and good morals you can achieve whatever you want to achieve.”
As for what rugby has given him, he says: “The biggest thing for me is values and morals. What comes with that is strong relationships and strong connections, friends that you will have forever and great experiences.
“Being a pro player, you get the luxury of being able to travel to different countries and achieve things.
“I am fortunate to be able to sit back and say I have achieved quite a lot in the game. Not only that, but there’s the duration I spent as a pro player. It was nearly 19 seasons, so I must have done something right! It was a long old stint.
“I have had a bit of luck as well. I am a huge believer that you’ve got to have a bit of luck on your side in the game.
“There have been so many huge prospects that have come through over the years, but unfortunately, through a freak injury or something, that career has been taken away from them. That’s how cruel the game can be.”
Above all, Rees is able to put everything into the context of his successful battle with cancer.
“An experience like that in your life will change you,” he says.
“It definitely does give you a different outlook and perspective on life.
“The most important thing in life is your health. If you haven’t got your health, you haven’t got anything.
“You do sort of sit back and reflect on what you have gone through and coming out the other side.
“As you get a bit older, you get a bit wiser and ultimately you sort of cherish every day and you are thankful for every day.
“It’s important that if there’s things you want to do, do them now because in life you never know what is round the corner.”