Welsh utility back Ioan Lloyd has seemingly settled on his long-term position in a move which could provide Wayne Pivac and Wales a boost.
The Bristol Bears star has played all across the backline, but now, despite not starting a Gallagher Premiership match in the role, he is set to focus on nailing down the No. 12 jersey next season.
Having broken through as a fly-half, he made his Test debut in 2020 as a full-back, while he has also made appearances on the wing and even as an emergency scrum-half this season. His only start to date at inside centre came against the Scarlets in Europe where, despite being forced off with an ankle knock after just 30 minutes, Pivac rose to give him a standing ovation. You can read this in-depth analysis of his performance that night here.
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Speaking about the decision for Lloyd to focus on midfield, Bristol director of rugby Pat Lam said: "This is Ioan’s fourth season coming straight out of school. Part of his talent is he can play in different positions and experience them.
"He just loved learning the game and growing but we sat down with him this season and said 'now you have had four years here, where do you want to play and really compete?' For him it is 12, but a 12 who can play 10. That is the position he wants to play. We had this talk halfway through the season but he has had niggles and then he broke his jaw against Bath so he has been out for a while.
"He showed a glimpse of what he can do at inside centre against the Scarlets in the Champions Cup. It is an area that excites him and it excites us.
"If we have an injury crisis he still has that ability to cover other positions, but going forward we are going to narrow in on him being an inside centre and fly-half."
Not only will the move to centre improve Bristol's depth in the position, with Antoine Frisch departing for Munster, it should also help Lloyd's international hopes. The 21-year-old has been absent from Pivac's recent squads after being told to work on his defence, but nailing down a position should help his chances of selection, having previously bounced around a little during his development.
The fact that he could be lining up as part of a 10-12 axis alongside fellow Welsh international Callum Sheedy - another to miss out on selection for the South Africa tour - could also be beneficial for Lloyd and Pivac. Both are likely to remain at Ashton Gate for a little longer, with both players having at least a year left on their deals with the Premiership club, which means a partnership could well form next term.
Certainly, Lloyd's own experience in the 10 jersey and the amount of responsibility handed to an inside centre in Bristol's system should only help his game.
"For us, 12 and 10 have really got to be able to call the shots, and he has now had four years of experience," added Lam. "I believe a player can handle different positions and he certainly can. But I think it is important for him for the next part of his development. We have to remember he is only 21 years old. He came in as an 18-year-old.
"He is already up to 60 first-team games so he has got all that experience and he has the appreciation of playing full-back, winger, 10, inside centre, he played nines at times as well, and that has given him a greater appreciation as he develops.
"In every game, Ioan has shown glimpses of being world-class, but he has also shown a glimpse of inconsistency around some of the fundamental parts of the game. It is about getting to that next level.
"As you come through everyone looks at what you can do, as you go to the next level what ends up being highlighted is what you can’t do and when you make mistakes and turnovers - and I am talking across the board, not just Ioan - those things hurt the team. There is certainly a lot of growth for him with an emphasis for Ioan on being a better and bigger influence on the team."
