It’s been argued that the departure of young Welsh players to England could be in danger of turning from a simple trickle to a flood.
And that isn't the oval-ball's version of Project Fear.
Promising talents like Rhys Carre, Sam Wainwright, Louis Rees-Zammit, Tommy Reffell and Sam Costelow have all chosen to head over the Severn Bridge to take advantage of chances with Gallagher Premiership clubs, sometimes linked to educational opportunities.
"We know people are looking at our players," the Welsh Rugby Union's Geraint John told WalesOnline last term.
"Good players will always be targeted."
But, it seems, the flow of players isn't all one way.
Morgan Jones was born and raised in England and started his rugby career with an English club.
But he joined the Scarlets’ academy in 2017 and is now part of the Wales squad at the World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina, qualifying to pull on the red jersey through a Llanelli-born grandfather.
It is a good-news story for the WRU to tell, with the 6ft 7in, 17st 7lb Jones looking quite the part when he featured off the bench against France last weekend. He got in among the French and upset a few of them, at one point causing several to fall out with him.
What prompted him to up sticks and move to Wales?
Despite being born in Nuneaton and raised in Hinckley in Leicestershire, he says: “I’ve always considered myself Welsh.
“My family are originally from Llanelli.
“My grandfather was born around there, so I had a connection, and I supported Wales from a young age.
”It was drummed into me that Wales was the place to be, but I’d always thought that, anyway.”
Jones joined the Scarlets from Leicester as part of the Wales Exiles programme. He played three times for Wales Under-18s before featuring twice in the 2018 under-20s’ Six Nations.
Injury meant he missed the 2019 Six Nations, but he is well-thought of and played for Scarlets A in the Celtic Cup and Llandovery in the Premiership. He has also trained with the region’s senior squad.
He made the call to relocate the season before last.
“The situation was I’d been at Leicester for two years as part of their academy,” he says.
“They didn't re-sign me but I was picked up by Wales Under-18s and the Scarlets got in touch.
“I ended up signing for them and I’ve just finished my second year, going into my third.
“When I was growing up, Llanelli was a second home to me.
“We would visit every year, staying in Pendine, so it followed for me to support the Scarlets at rugby.
“My grandfather was Llanelli through and through, obsessed with them for years.
“It rubbed off on my dad and on me.
“So it’s a dream come true that I ended up coming down to Wales to be part of the set-up.”
Leicester’s loss could prove the Scarlets’ gain.
Jones made an instant impact against France, making five tackles and five carries in 23 minutes and also pinching an opposition line-out. If he was fazed by playing against the world champions, he didn't show it.
“It’s not easy to figure off the bench, but you just have to do what you can,” he says.
“Hopefully, I made a mark.
“France are a good team and they are world champions for a reason.
“It was a learning experience for me and for the team generally.
“The result didn’t go our way, but there is a lot of quality in the side and we have the ability and determination to get better.”
Jones has enjoyed playing for Llandovery, even though his games have been rationed out because of injuries and other commitments. "There's a great bunch of boys there and we have a good side,” he says.
“We did well in the season just finished and play a nice brand of rugby.
“I played in the A league for the Scarlets this year but missed out on the final as I got concussed.
“I’ve been training with the seniors, too, and I’m enjoying the whole experience. It’s a great learning curve, picking up the analysis, enjoying interacting with the players and getting involved.
“Obviously, as an academy boy coming up out of nowhere, you aren’t known by many people, but it was good to get involved and get stuck into training.”
He is a long-time team-mate of Tommy Reffell, a fellow Wales Under-20s forward he rates highly.
“Tommy’s a hell of a player,” he said.
“We’ve known each other for years, through the Tigers and through this system.
“He works really hard and gets everything right.”
The 20-year-old is studying for a Criminology degree at Swansea University.
But Scotland Yard’s finest aren't needed to work out that he has potential.
Right now, he is just relishing being part of the under-20s’ set-up.
“We have some good players and we’re a really tight unit,” he said.
“It’s good to be in an environment where the boys are of such a high calibre.
“I watched the games the Wales seniors have played under Warren Gatland over the years and the successes they’ve had.
“Now I end up playing for the under-20s.
“It’s mad, a hell of experience and a hell of a journey.”
And that journey is only just beginning for Jones.
He's a player to look out for.
