How rugby superfan Maureen McColl, 82, stole the hearts of the nation

For Maureen McColl, this year's Six Nations tournament has been particularly special.

Not only because Wales won the Grand Slam, but because the 82-year-old, from Blackwood, got to go to her first ever rugby game - and even meet some of the players.

A photograph captured the moment Maureen held court with a number of players after the Wales v England game Credit: @natlesz on Twitter

It started with Wales' 21-13 win over England in February. Maureen went along to the game - her first ever - at the Principality Stadium. And after the final whistle she had quite the surprise when some of the substitutes took time out to say hello.

"It was the best weekend of my life!", Maureen told ITV Wales a few days later.

"I'd never been to a match in my life, and to go there that day and they won. That was the best prize of all".

And she never had a shred of doubt that Wales would go on to win the Grand Slam.

"Oh we'll have the Grand Slam, I'm telling you now!" she predicted.

As Wales' winning streak continued, the WRU invited Maureen to attend Saturday's Wales v Ireland game - which she gladly accepted.

And with 275,000 rugby fans in the city centre, Maureen was loving the atmosphere.

"I have never seen anything like this in my life!" she told ITV Wales.

Maureen has become quite the celebrity in Wales... On Saturday, a number of passersby who'd seen her on the news stopped to say hello Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"We're gonna win aren't we? We're gonna win! I'm the lucky mascot - we're going to win!"

And at the final whistle - her predictions were proved absolutely right.

Maureen was grinning from ear to ear as she left the stadium Credit: ITV Cymru Wales

"I told you we were going to win, didn't I tell you?" she said after the match.

"I thought, we're going to win, we're definitely going to get it.

"I'm 82 years of age, aren't I? I have never, ever had a day like today... I've had lovely days, but not like this!

"Im going home, I'll have a whiskey, get out of all these wet clothes, and I'm going to have a whiskey and lemonade and watch telly and think of today!"

It's certainly been a Six Nations to remember - particularly so for Maureen McColl.