The rate and ferocity that Steven Luatua steams rucks and mauls, forcing turnovers or frustrating the opposition by making a physical nuisance of himself, has been a crucial weapon of the Bristol Bears since the New Zealander arrived in the West Country.
However, the experience, and the regularity of being so active at the breakdown has been a relatively new one for Luatua, who's admitted the focus on forward play in England has been a learning curve for him.
Now in his third season with the Bears, Luatua has established himself as a major force in Premiership Rugby and a core tenet of Pat Lam's team as they target European Championship Cup qualification and potentially the title, if and when the 2019/20 campaign resumes.
After an initial teething period, in the unforgiving and rustic confines of the Championship, the Bears are now seeing the best of Luatua as he makes a similar impact in the northern hemisphere as he did south of the equator during his time with Auckland Blues.
In an interview on Sky Sport's The Breakdown show in his home country, Luatua was asked by All Blacks legend Jeff Wilson as to what the crucial difference between New Zealand rugby and what he's experienced in England.
"My first year was in the second division and that was pretty tough," Luatua said. "Week-in, week-out as a team we weren't really on the page. But now we've come to the Prem and I can really experience what Prem Rugby is like.
"It definitely is different. In my three years that I've been here I've been in more mauls than my entire time in New Zealand; I've stuck my head into these dark places more times than I ever did in New Zealand.
"They have a lot more set-piece focus. It's cliche but generally when the forward pack is dominant, that team goes onto win.
"Whatever they do here, I know for sure it works. It's not just the New Zealand way that works."
Luatua's decision to leave New Zealand in 2017, and forego his chance to build on his All Blacks career, divided opinion in his homeland.
All Black captain Kieran Read and coach Steve Hansen branded it "disappointing" as Luatua rejected the contract on offer from NZ Rugby for the more lucrative deal in BS3, which was extended in December 2018, making him among the highest-paid players in the world.
However, the 29-year-old insists he made the right decision for the betterment of his career, beyond just financial reasons.
"I'm definitely at peace with how things turned out," Luatua added. "How I've progressed is how I hoped my experience would become.
"At the time, when I was looking for opportunities, it was here or Japan, I leant towards here because I still wanted to grow. I've learnt so much more different tactics and different things."
Inevitably, given the constant desire for homegrown exports to return to Super Rugby, Luatua was asked about his future beyond 2021 - when his Bears contract expires.
Having played 74 games for Auckland Blues before heading north, Luatua admits reaching triple figures for his hometown team remains an aspiration but is in no rush to force the issue just yet.
"One of my goals was always to come back and play 100 games for the Blues – I think I'm 20 or 30-odd short so that's a couple seasons," he said.
"If they'll take an old-timer, or someone off the bench, then I'd be happy to come and fill that role; locker-room banter, I'm there for it. But if Bristol will still have me then I'll still be happy to do my time here."
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