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.
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If you're looking to show something to those concerned about the benefits of non-Welsh qualified players, you'd struggle to find better examples that those at Parc y Scarlets right now. Sione Kalamafoni has proved himself as one of the smartest acquisitions in recent Welsh rugby history, showing the worth of an outstanding No. 8 in a country where few and far between have come through in the past few years.
And then there's Sam Lousi, the free-wheeling lock who has arguably been the west Walians' standout performer this year. The 30-year-old was to the fore in a man of the match performance against the Dragons this weekend, demonstrating all of the qualities that have seen the Scarlets extend his deal in Llanelli.
If you look at the statistics, you can see he ranks seventh in the United Rugby Championship for offloads and turnovers won, but in truth, with a player like Lousi, the numbers seem a little arbitrary. Form is just as important as function when it comes to the giant second-row.
It's not just that he gets the ball out of the tackle, but it's how he carries it into contact that sets the tone for the Scarlets in attack. Ball grasped in one hand, like a tic tac. Arm swinging around like a sixth-former keeping a school bag off a helpless Year 7.
His try at Rodney Parade was the perfect example of that, with Dragons' scrum-half Gonzalo Bertranou doing his best impression of a helpless child in a game of 'piggy in the middle', so preoccupied with where Lousi's arm is going with the ball that he fails to notice his body slipping past him and over the tryline.
In recent times, the Scarlets way hasn't always clicked. The days of 15 red jerseys running riot at the Aviva Stadium or the Rec under Wayne Pivac, playing an all-court game based on offload-heavy, fluid rugby, have been few and far between in recent years.
There's been flashes where it's clicked, but breaking down defences hasn't always come easily in Llanelli. Having a player like Lousi, who not only commits defenders, but bamboozles them with the sort of appendage gymnastics that would make a basketball player blush, certainly helps on that front.
Little wonder then that, along with his work in the lineout, many would consider him as one of the finest overseas signings the Scarlets have made. Some feat given the likes of Regan King, Simon Easterby, Hadleigh Parkes, Tadhg Beirne, John Barclay, David Lyons and many others have head to Llanelli.
However, it's a sentiment that Scarlets head coach Dwayne Pell would agree with.
“When you consider overseas players who have come into the Welsh game he’s up there,” said Scarlets coach Peel. “I’ve been lucky to play with some of the great overseas players like Regan King who have come in and not only contributed on the field, but the young players have learnt so much from them.
“I think Sam is having that effect on this squad. He’s happy at the club, and I think we are seeing his effect on the field, and on our younger locks like Jac Price, and Morgan Jones.
“He’s a massive leader who runs the lineout. I thought we showed a lot of togetherness in the last 20 minutes, and I was delighted to get the win.”
The news that Lousi's former Hurricanes team-mate and fellow Tongan, Vaea Fifita, is joining from Wasps next year is an exciting one. If he proves to be anywhere near the addition of Lousi, he'll be a fine signing.
Moreover, the prospect of the two of them working in tandem at Parc y Scarlets is a mouth-watering one. Non-Welsh qualified signings like these, like Lousi in particular, are worth their weight in gold.
It's worth remembering that.
