Monday 2 September 2019 15:28, UK
Rhys Carre said he was "shaking and speechless" when he was told he had made Wales' World Cup squad.
The prop, who won his solitary cap for his country over the weekend, was included in the 31-man group for the trip to Japan announced on Sunday.
Carre, who moved to Saracens from Cardiff Blues over the summer, said he was a "big bag of mixed emotions" after receiving the call from Warren Gatland.
"I was as shocked as everyone else at the time," Carre told Sky Sports of his call-up.
"I didn't quite know how to take it in. I started shaking, I was just speechless at the time - I still am now. It still hasn't sunk in, it's been a mad two days for me over the weekend. A big bag of mixed emotions.
"When I signed for Saracens I was never expecting to be in a warm-up squad let alone to be going on the plane. I'm still trying to take it all in day by day and keep my head down."
Carre says he came into Wales' pre-season camp carrying more weight than anticipated after enjoying his summer a little too much, but has lost 10kgs since.
"It helps when you come into camp heavier," Carre said of the impressive weight loss. "I came in carrying a bit too much timber, so I worked with the [Strength and conditioning coaches] and the nutritionists to sort my diet out and sort out my plan on the field. I worked hard for 12 weeks and got to this place now."
Another person who wasn't sure if he would make the squad was Leigh Halfpenny, whose issues with concussion saw him out of the game for three months of the season.
"As time was going on you sort of think 'How long is this going to carry on for?'," said Halfpenny of his time on the sidelines.
"Horrendous injury. One of the toughest to deal with because you don't know when that end line is when it carries on for as long as it did.
"You do start to question what's going to happen. I just kept trying to do everything I could to try and rest and try and get over it.
"Thankfully it got better and I was able to return to the field, and I was delighted."
Meanwhile, fly-half Dan Biggar says Wales' recent form, which saw them elevated to the top of the World Rugby rankings for two weeks last month, will count for nothing in Japan.
"It's all about turning up," said Biggar. "We've got a great squad on paper and we've got lots of experience and lots of accolades over the last 12 or 18 months but it's about fronting up and delivering.
"I'm not quite sure England are going to be too worried about our record before - or New Zealand or whoever it is - they're going to be worried about the here and now.
"That's what it has to be for us. We've had a really good 12 or 18 months building ahead to this, but I think the squad that we've got now, we've got to go and deliver on a big stage."
