WHEN Scott Quinnell decided to hang up his boots, none other than Phil Bennett hailed the No. 8 as a colossus of Llanelli rugby.

It was a fitting description of a giant of man, both in size and deed.

Quinnell arrived at Llanelli with a big reputation from age-group rugby, but with also big expectations on his teenage shoulders as son of another Stradey great, Derek.

He was a player who didn't disappoint, for club, region or country.

A dynamic ball-carrier, his ability to break tackles and gainlines was second to none in the modern game.

In one Heineken Cup match in Bourgoin, Quinnell was physically sick on the touchline because of a stomach upset.

Most players wouldn't have been able to carry on, let alone produce a one-man wrecking show which ultimately saw Llanelli become the first Welsh side to win on French soil in the competition.

The headlines in the local newspaper the following day dubbed the Scarlet talisman 'the raging bull'.

In another critical European contest at Stradey, Llanelli welcomed reigning champions Leicester to West Wales.

It was a win or bust contest with qualification to the knockout stages at stake.

The Tigers kicked off, Lions skipper Martin Johnson went charging at Quinnell, the No. 8 stood firm as if steel plated and went on to produce one of the most influential individual performances you are likely to witness from a back-row forward.

There are many more enduring images of Quinnell's illustrious career.

Think Wales v France in Cardiff in 1994 and that bulldozing run down the touchline when he brushed aside a stream of French jerseys on the way to a remarkable solo score; for the Lions, ploughing through Australian defenders for a try under the posts, complete with broad grin; while his pass for THAT Scott Gibbs try at Wembley in 1999 is sure to get plenty more airing on YouTube.

It was testament to his influence that when you spoke to opposition coaches before big games he was always the man that had to be stopped.

Inevitably, for a player who thrived in the physical confrontation, injuries were always going to take their toll on the Quinnell frame.

He was an ever-present on the treatment table with knee, ankle and shoulder troubles plaguing his career.

Yet Quinnell still won 52 caps in all for his country, scoring 11 tries and toured South Africa (1997) and Australia (2001) with the British and Irish Lions, only for injury to curtail both trips.

There was also a flirtation with rugby league — three years with Wigan Warriors between 1994 and 1997 — followed by a season with Richmond in the English top flight.

But Quinnell was always destined to return home and when he did re-sign for his home club in 1998 he went on to establish himself as one of the Llanelli's true greats.

Colossal summed up his contribution perfectly.