This week saw the continuation of a long-running cliche in Welsh rugby.
When Highlanders centre Sio Tompkinson was announced as the latest signing by the Dragons, the usual 'won't somebody please think of the (Welsh) children' did the rounds in certain quarters. Sure, this lad comes from New Zealand with Super Rugby experience and some New Zealand U20s caps, but surely his arrival in Wales takes the jersey away from a deserving young Welsh player? That's the argument that's usually made.
Naturally, there's an element of truth to that. We want Welsh talent to develop in this country and get exposed to competitive rugby, of course. But conversely, Cardiff aren't awash with non-Welsh qualified players right now and you'd be hard-pressed to find fans saying anything other than they'd like to add a grizzled South African lock to their pack right now. There's many benefits to having a team compiled almost solely of Welsh products, but winning isn't always one of them.
