But it is easy to forget that Saturday’s encounter at the Millennium Stadium will be only the second time he has taken to the field in a Six Nations game in Cardiff and this week the quiet spoken 22-year-old from Llandrindod Wells has been talking to WRU.com ahead of the clash with Ireland.
“When I pulled on the Wales jersey for the first time I felt like Superman. Now I just want to go out and make everyone proud,” said Lydiate.
“I was in the Six Nations squad last year but never got match-day squad. That was very frustrating but that just pushed me to work harder and force my way in.
“I have played the southern hemisphere teams but the Six Nations is a lot more physical.
“You’re gasping for breath against the All Blacks and Aussies because they throw the ball around so much. Bit the Six Nations is far more of a fight and there are some big hitters out there.”
Wales: L Byrne (Ospreys); L Halfpenny (Cardiff Blues), J Roberts (Cardiff Blues), J Davies (Scarlets), S Williams (Ospreys); J Hook (Ospreys), M Phillips (Ospreys); P James (Ospreys), M Rees (Scarlets, capt), C Mitchell (Ospreys), B Davies (Cardiff Blues), A-W Jones (Ospreys), D Lydiate (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues), R Jones (Ospreys).
Replacements: R Hibbard (Ospreys), J Yapp (Cardiff Blues), D Peel (Sale Sharks), S Jones (Scarlets), M Stoddart (Scarlets), plus two from R McCusker (Scarlets), A Powell (Wasps) and J Thomas (Ospreys).
Ireland: L Fitzgerald (Leinster); T Bowe (Ospreys), B O’Driscoll (Leinster, capt), G D’Arcy (Leinster), K Earls (Munster); R O’Gara (Munster), E Reddan (Leinster); C Healy (Leinster), R Best (Ulster), M Ross (Leinster), D O’Callaghan (Munster), P O’Connell (Munster), S O’Brien (Leinster), D Wallace (Munster), J Heaslip (Leinster).
Replacements: S Cronin (Connacht), T Court (Ulster), L Cullen (Leinster), D Leamy (Munster), P Stringer (Munster), J Sexton (Leinster), P Wallace (Ulster).
