Dwayne Peel is confident the Scarlets can help propel the multi-talented Ioan Lloyd back into the Wales squad over the coming seasons.
Versatility can be both a blessing and a curse, with recent Welsh rugby history full of players who failed to fulfil their early career promise, in part because they were never given a chance to settle in one position.
Lloyd has long been considered a player who has a high ceiling, with Bristol Bears head coach Pat Lam even going as far as to label the 22-year-old a potential "world-class" player who could star for Wales at Test level in the future. While he has made a respectable 77 appearances for Bristol in the Gallagher Premiership, impressing with his sensational footwork, clever passing, and his blistering pace, he has never nailed down a regular starting position.
In a similar fashion to players of yesteryear like James Hook and France legend Frédéric Michalak, his supreme talent has seen him shifted from pillar to post while he is often seen a useful bench option due to his versatility.
But Scarlets boss Peel is confident his new signing will flourish in Llanelli next season, and has promised him a run in the fly-half jersey.
"Yes, that's why we've signed him," said Peel, when asked whether he thought the Scarlets could help Lloyd fulfil his international ambitions.
"If we didn't think we could do that for him then we wouldn't have gone after him. For me with my conversations with Ioan, we want him to come here and be a ball player. We want him on the ball as much as we can.
"He obviously started off as a 10 and that's where we want him to progress. That's not to say he won't play other positions but we want to give him time in the saddle to do that [play 10]. That's the big thing.
"If you are playing in a decision-making position as in nine, 10, or 12 you need time in the saddle. That's where I'm at with him. We'll give him that opportunity and we'll see where we go from there. But if we are going to commit to giving him opportunities in those ball-playing positions then he needs to have time there."
The Scarlets are well renowned for their swashbuckling brand of attacking rugby while they have also developed a core group of talented youngster such as Kemsley Mathias, Joe Roberts and Sam Costelow who have come to the fore this season.
Former Wales scrum-half Peel believes the Scarlets' style of play will suit Lloyd, who won two caps for his country in 2020, down to the ground, and help them elevate his game to the next level.
"I think from our perspective he suits the style of play that we want to play," he said. "He's a player who can worry the opposition and go after defences. We need to get him on the ball as much as we can. We've got Costy at the minute who is playing excellent rugby.
"To have another quality operator as well who is a bit more versatile then that's going to be great for us. He's a young, Welsh, and very highly talented player. I think any club would have wanted him."
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