Gareth Thomas peeks down the track

Wales captain to take another shot at the elusive All Black scalp

It has been quite a year for Wales skipper Gareth Thomas. First there was the Six Nations Grand Slam, then there was the Heineken Cup triumph in Edinburgh. Then the Lions, where he was one of few to emerge with credit - and now his Toulouse team has won its first eight matches in the Top 14.

The last win, over French champions Biarritz, kicked off a two-month stretch that could add a generous dollop of icing to the Welshman's cake.

Toulouse play Stade Français at the Stade de France on Saturday before a sell-out crowd of 80,000.

The gate-takings have shattered domestic and international attendance records for a club match, but having just beaten Biarritz in front of 20,000 at Toulouse's own Ernest-Wallon stadium, Thomas refused to play up next week's match.

"Obviously there will be a hell of a lot of people there next week," a typically together Thomas told this website.

"But I am not sure if they will make as much noise as some of the crowds at the smaller clubs do here with only 10-15,000.

"It will be fun, just another great experience that comes from playing for this club."

The former Cardiff star is in his second season with Toulouse, and although he is still struggling with the language, Thomas reckons the move could not have gone better.

"My French is still rubbish," he laughed.

"I am learning, I have lessons just about every day now, but it is a difficult language to get to grips with, and as soon as you learn a little you just realise how much more there is to learn.

"But I am trying, and the boys appreciate the fact that I try.

"It's just completely different here - that was the big pull of coming here.

"It is a different life, lifestyle, different way of training - a different everything to what I have ever been used to.

"It has been refreshing for me, I was coming to a point in my career where it was just the same thing every day, so for me to come out here, it has just made me into a new person and into a new player as well."

A new player does not necessarily mean a better player, although few would dispute that Thomas has reached the peak of his career since his move away from the Arms Park in summer 2004.

But the 31-year-old - who scored two superb tries against Biarritz on Sunday - remained diplomatic on the changes to his game.

"I wouldn't want to say it has made me a better player, that might be disrespectful to the other teams and coaches I have played with before," he explained.

"It is the million-dollar question always asked - 'how does it compare' or 'is it better'.

"You can't really say what is better or what is worse, because it is just different. It has improved me as a player because I have learned to play the Welsh way and the French way.

"It has made me a better player for that, not because it is a better standard."

After Saturday's Parisian date, Toulouse kick off the defence of their treasured European crown with a home match against Llanelli Scarlets followed by a trip to the home of London Wasps.

Thomas will then report for national duty and lead Wales out at the Millennium Stadium for the Test match against New Zealand, a match which represents a glorious opportunity for Wales to break their 53-year drought against the All Blacks.

But whether future results go the right way for him or not, this has been a vintage year for 'our Gareth', and he paid tribute to those who have been involved along the way.

"It has been great - I don't want to sound like someone saying this for the sake of it - the reason I play rugby is because of the teams and the boys," he said.

"I enjoy playing for, against, and with all the boys. I have had some great personal achievements this year, but without the guys around me I wouldn't have been able to achieve anything.

"It has been great to be a part of this club's achievements, and an honour to play for Wales and the Lions - again getting to know other boys and cultures.

"In terms of the year, I will have to go a long way to try and beat this one!"

So can he be the man to lead Wales to a rare victory over New Zealand - not to mention a possible clean sweep of the Tri-Nations teams, who all visit the Millennium Stadium in November?

"Every time I go onto the field with a bunch of guys, we want to go out and try and get a win," he said.

"Who knows now, we now have a winning culture here at Toulouse and also with Wales, so hopefully this season will be as good as the last.

"Everyone's making this out to be the be-all and end-all. Like I say, we have got a winning culture, which we didn't have last year and we still only lost by a point.

"They are a great team, and we are not a surprise package like we were last year, so they'll be coming for us this year, I am sure.

"I said last year that I believed we could do it, and I believe it this year. I will believe it next year and the years after that as well."

Which is just what you need to hear from the captain...

By Danny Stephens in Toulouse