Not that long ago, the topic of Adam Beard came up while in conversation with a South African rugby scribe.
Trust me, this writer does occasionally have better ice-breakers than towering Welsh second-rows, but the 27-year-old merited discussion on this particular occasion.
"If he was South African, we'd love him," was the gist of that particular writer's point of view. Given how set-piece orientated the Ospreys lock is, it's unsurprising that he has at least one member in the South African fan club.
Closer to home, he has perhaps not always been as appreciated as you might expect for someone who is closing in on a half-century of caps and has proved crucial in two Six Nations triumphs, serving as vice-captain on occasion.
He has also been a total constant in the Wales side in the last two years. The last Wales match to not feature Beard was the second Test against Argentina in 2021, with the lofty second-row in South Africa with the Lions. That is 20 straight Test matches that Beard has started in. So, quite clearly, Wales coaches know his value.
That much was clear when Gatland backed Beard to silence the doubters last week.
"I've got to give credit to someone else who's worked his butt off, and I know he gets a huge amount of criticism from fans and stuff, but Adam Beard has really worked hard," said Warren Gatland on the Scrum V podcast. "He's coming in in good shape. I'd love to see him be able to shut a few people up and for them to go 'actually, in fairness to him, he looks good'."
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So what is it that coaches rate so highly about Beard? Ospreys and Wales team-mate Scott Baldwin, who today announced his retirement from playing, is well-placed to offer some insight, having seen the lock up close and personal.
First and foremost, it is his ability at the lineout which makes him so valuable, particularly given how mauls have become one of the most dangerous weapons in the game.
"He's so important to the lineout defence," Baldwin tells WalesOnline. "Those long limbs can get through bodies, affect deliveries and get on the maul.
"Something he's grown into his game is his ability to call the lineout. He's very composed in that aspect.
"Running the attack is a big job. It changes week to week depending on how teams defend, what systems they're in and what options you can go to. It all obviously depends on personnel.
"Beard has a big influence in that, but he doesn't know the team until it's selected. He's then coming up with a lineout plan, the calls he's got and working out scenarios: things like 'if they mark X, how do you get to Y?' You know where the space is, but it's how you get there and put the best people in the best positions.
"It's hard sometimes as a lineout caller. Alun Wyn [Jones] would have had it earlier in his career. It's a lot calling the lineout in attack and being captain. So vice-captain is a good role in that respect. It's someone else speaking but when it comes to set-piece, it'll be his say and he'll play a big part in whether they go for three or back the maul to power over. He's already become a more relaxed bloke from being a leader."
However, it's not just the lineout where he is strong, with Baldwin adding that his work in the scrum is something else which is relatively unheralded. As any front-rower would tell you, the help you get from behind is crucial.
"He's a good scrummaging lock," added Baldwin. "He puts a lot of weight through and stays in there and wants to scrum. He understands, from a front-row's perspective, if you want to buy into a maul, he's got to buy into a scrum as well."
One former Wales international once told WalesOnline that, as a ball-carrier, he perhaps lacked a point of difference. Baldwin, continuing that South African theme, sees it as a balance in the boiler room.
Beard can be that set-piece naus like Lood de Jager, but you need a physical Eben Etzebeth-type next to him to punch holes in defences. That's not to say he isn't effective when in possession.
"He's surprisingly a skillful athlete," said Baldwin. "You look at his ability with ball in hand, that goes unnoticed. People also say 'why don't our second-rows carry through brick walls?' Why would you carry through a brick wall when there's a door open next to it? He gets his hands free which is good for a big man, with how someone of his size can create space on the edge for the speedsters."
It is clear that Beard is growing into the role of a senior head in this Wales squad. He has acted as vice-captain, while running the lineout attack also demonstrates a maturity.
At times, maybe he is not been perceived as having the hard edge you might look for in a second-row. Ospreys coach Toby Booth once questioned if he was maybe too nice.
Without Alun Wyn Jones and Cory Hill in this World Cup squad, the onus might fall on Beard to provide that steely edge.
"He's quite calm and relaxed," added Baldwin. "He'll have his moments where he'll get into you as a hooker. He's very quick to come back down, though.
"He's very good at self-critiquing and knowing when to take the pressure on himself. I remember there was a lineout in the Six Nations against Ireland. We went for the same option twice and they stole it. In the heat of the moment, he was going 'f**k's sake', but then on reflection, he put his hand up and said that was him. He's very level-headed.
"He's not a hot-head and that's what you need at Test level, with so many split-second decisions. He's a big part of Wales. If I was Warren Gatland, I'd be wrapping him up in cotton wool this summer."
