'For the first few months after Betsy was diagnosed I'd drive to work and cry on my own in the car every single day'

We're on a whistle-stop tour of the western wilds of the Vale of Glamorgan when Christian Williams nods in the direction of a welcoming hostelry on the Ewenny Road. "That's Gavin Henson's pub," he says, taking the number of Welsh rugby internationals mentioned this morning deep into double figures. "He was in the year above me at school." World and Olympic cycling gold medallist Nicole Cooke was in the same year as the famous racehorse trainer, apparently, and probably still talks about it.

We've had a swift half in a pub belonging to Wales flanker Tommy Reffell's family, star centre Jonathan Davies earned himself pride of place as co-owner of former stable stalwart Potters Corner, and I'm told that if I wander round Bridgend or the family's home village of Coity for long enough I'll probably see practically an entire XV from the principality.

One of Williams' uncles, having been born and raised on the family farm in nearby Ogmore-by-Sea, was capped for both his country and the Lions. The rest of the clan, meanwhile, are still inextricably wedded to the place.