With 87 international caps to his name, Welsh legend Shane Williams certainly knows what he’s doing on a rugby pitch.

He can also claim to be a capable cook after his guest appearance at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair where he dished up his family’s favourite Welsh Lamb recipe.

Pessimists who thought that he might be winging it were proved wrong as he prepared his speciality dish - lamb with ginger and spring onions - with ease in front of a capacity crowd on the Hybu Cig Cymru – Meat Promotion Wales (HCC) stand.

As a firm family-man and sporting superstar, he also knows a thing or two about health and nutrition, which made him the perfect frontman for a new campaign aimed at educating people about the role of lean red meat in a healthy, balanced diet.

The ‘Discover your weekday prime’ campaign, from the joint-funded programme by Britain’s three red meat levy bodies, aims to promote the nutritional value and versatility of lamb, especially as a mid-week meal, to a younger audience, hence its focus on social media.

Meat is eaten by almost 98 per cent of people in the UK, with red meat a popular choice and a valuable source of protein, iron, zinc, B vitamins, vitamin D, selenium and iodine. Consumer insights, however, reveal that a proportion of young singles aged 18-30 rarely eat red meat and a percentage of young mums eat red meat just once a week, and this is usually reserved for a roast dinner or a special occasion. Research also revealed that people in this demographic group were often unaware of the positive role of red meat in the diet.

The spotlight of the Welsh campaign is on Shane Williams who has appeared in a selection of engaging videos designed to promote the numerous qualities of lamb. These short clips are being distributed via his social media channels to hundreds of thousands of followers.

Phillipa Gill, HCC’s Brand Marketing Executive said: “We were naturally delighted to team up with former world rugby player of the year, Shane Williams to promote the nutritional value of lamb.

“Whether you’re like Shane and want to keep fit or need to ensure your children receive enough red meat to help their bones grow and develop, introducing lamb to your weekly meal plan provides a rich source of essential nutrients to help keep your whole family fit and healthy.

“Look out for Shane’s videos on social media, they include the reasons why he enjoys eating lamb with the family as part of his weekly diet, as well as a quick and easy recipe. Don’t forget to share these clips to help us spread the love for lamb this winter.”

As part of HCC’s activities at the Winter Fair, Shane Williams also took part in a cooking demonstration alongside Lesley Griffiths AM, Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs. She served a rack of PGI Welsh Lamb to the hungry sportsman who undertook a number of media interviews and posed for countless selfies on the HCC stand.