Wales coach Warren Gatland today has the green light to call on players who have previously been off limits to him after the decision to lower the 60-cap rule to 25.
It means former Gatland favourites Jake Ball and Cory Hill, both currently playing in Japan, immediately become available for selection.
Gatland has recently suggested both men are still on his radar, with Hill linked with a potential move back to Wales. That no longer needs to happen to make the lock eligible for national selection as he has 32 caps. Fellow second rower Ball has 50.
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A third Japan-based player, Hadleigh Parkes, is also technically eligible again, although any return to the Test arena seems far less likely given he is 35.
Ball and Hill, though, would certainly be very much in the mix, with Wales coaches already monitoring their performances at club level.
The change to the rule, which has been made to placate disgruntled players amid salaries being cut, does not, however, solve the problem of Will Rowlands.
Wales' reigning player of the year has signed to join French giants Racing 92 from the Dragons in the summer, but he only has 23 caps to his name. His new contract is thought to start before Wales play their summer World Cup warm-up matches, meaning he technically remains ineligible. Rowlands is currently injured and is not expected to return to action before April.
The player hopes a way can be found for him to make the World Cup, with Gatland also keen to find a solution for a crucial player. Before the change to to rule was announced on Wednesday, it was understood Rowlands would need special dispensation from the Professional Rugby Board to be selectable.
That was far from certain to be granted when the bar was set at 60 caps, but given Rowlands is now just two away from the required number, and how the Welsh rugby landscape has changed over the past week, it will be interesting to see what happens next.
The reduction in the number of required caps also means a number of Welsh players are now free to leave the Welsh regions without the threat of losing their international careers. They include the likes of Josh Adams (46 caps), Rhys Webb (38 caps), Adam Beard (43 caps), Gareth Anscombe (35 caps) and Ross Moriarty (54 caps).
Adams is a target for French club Lyon, who are thought to be willing to offer a transfer fee to Cardiff, while Anscombe and Moriarty are among a number of players linked with moves out of Wales.
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