"It's a huge honour," admits McBryde, "and quite a responsibility. It is a completely different arena from rugby but one I am very proud to be part of."
In its modern form the Eisteddfod has become a celebration of Welsh poetry, music and literature. Various ceremonies are held to honour the different achievements and McBryde, in his full-length white druid robe, is charged with carrying and unsheathing the huge 10-foot-long (about 3m) ceremonial sword.
Everything centres around the language. It is estimated that around 40 per cent of the population are able to speak their native tongue, and more than half of them consider themselves fluent.
McBryde is a fiercely proud advocate: "I'm not sure if the youth of today understand but it is incredibly important to promote and defend the language.
As recently as the 1940s, schoolchildren were still getting beaten at school if they spoke Welsh but in the last two decades there has been a resurgence."
It is now taught nationwide and, perhaps most crucially for the younger generation, available in predictive text messaging across Wales. It was also used at the European Union for the first time in 2008, whilst its complexity meant it was used as a coded language in warfare during the 20th century.
McBryde played 37 tests as hooker for Wales between 1994 and 2005 and also made the British Lions tour to Australia in 2001. Perhaps just as significantly, he also racked up 250 games for Llanelli, the legendary Welsh club that remain the last team from that country to topple the All Blacks (in 1972).
Before rugby went professional he was employed as an overhead linesman and in 1992 he won the title of Wales' strongest man. He has been Warren Gatland's assistant and forwards coach since 2005, taking over as head coach for two tests in 2009 when Gatland was with the British Lions.
As he talked to the Herald on Sunday, the strains of a choir - with the emphasis on the word strains rather than choir - could be heard from down the corridor at the team hotel.
"That's just the boys practising," laughed McBrdye. '
The initiative has been reinstated recently in the national team environment and has been particularly well received in New Zealand, where the team can respond in traditional Welsh song after the numerous Maori welcomes they have received around the country.
The ditty is called Ar Lan Y Mor - which translates as "Beside the Sea".
"It's actually a Welsh romantic song - about a young man nicking a young girl," says McBryde. "Not all of the boys speak Welsh but the ones who do carry the others. It's great for team morale. It's also been wonderful to see all the school children around the country involved in the welcomes and so aware of the Maori language."
McBryde says the team is in great heart after being involved in two of the closest matches of the tournament: "It was quite a relief after the Samoa match," says McBride, "we had to come from behind and it was a huge test. We focused a lot on fitness before the World Cup - we wanted to be one of the fittest sides that Wales has ever sent and I think it is paying off."
After an eight-day break, the Welsh face Namibia in New Plymouth tomorrow. Most pundits assume Wales are certainties to make the quarter-finals, but it is not quite the case.
If Samoa win their last two matches - including what would be an upset result over the Springboks - they could push Wales out of the top two in Pool D.
Also, in another slightly unlikely scenario, if Wales fail to beat Fiji in their last match in Hamilton on October 2 they could also slip out of the last eight.
