George North, Alex Cuthbert, Jake Ball …as Stuart Lancaster observed this week, the number of English-born players in the Wales dressing room is rising. But what about the Englishman who owes his career to Welsh rugby? Ben Morgan might still be working on building sites rather than preparing to run out at Twickenham had his career prospects not been transformed by the formative stint he spent playing in Wales.
The story of Morgan's unlikely journey to the England No8 jersey via Dursley, Cinderford, Merthyr Tydfil, Cardiff Blues Under-20s and the Scarlets is now widely known but it is interesting to consider what might have unfolded had he opted to represent Wales, via residency, when he had the choice early in 2012. Two successive Six Nations titles with a hat-trick conceivably still on the cards – the 25-year-old Morgan would not have been starved of success had he stayed west of the Severn Bridge.
Deep down, though, he has had not one twinge of regret. "I was playing in Wales but I am English," he stresses firmly, clearly extremely keen to get stuck into next week's huge confrontation against the Welsh in the absence of the injured Billy Vunipola. "It would be false of me to say I regret going and playing for my country but that time [with the Scarlets] was absolutely crucial. I am still very grateful. Without them picking me up, I wouldn't be here today. I learned a lot there. Simon Easterby and Mark Jones were brilliant coaches and were a huge benefit for me."
Wales may yet be the ones left to rue what could have been. Vunipola is unquestionably a loss but the Bristol-born Morgan, his character tested by Gloucester's lean start to the season, is now fitter than he has ever been.
He has also made a noticeable impact in all of England's games in this championship, his relish for the big occasion wholly apparent. Next week's explosive running duel opposite Toby Faletau, Vunipola's cousin, will be a highlight, the high-profile nature of the contest a far cry from his former life as a 21-stone trainee plumber with a penchant for junk food.
The new Morgan is the product of an increasing desire not to waste the talent which has always lurked within his hulking frame. "The harder times tend to be the character-building times because you can easily be forgotten. I don't just want to fade away. It is important I fix it or I will slip away. Prior to the autumn I was not where I wanted to be. I wanted something to change because I wasn't happy with the way things were. It has been a lot of sweat and a lot of hard work."
England's specific training methods have also helped a player who was three stone lighter when he won his first cap in 2012 than when he first turned up at the Scarlets. "We do a lot of 'game impact' training that directly correlates to what happens on the field and has significantly improved myself as well as other players," explains Morgan. "If you're sat in the gym doing a normal weights session you become strong in that particular movement. The idea here is to flick from weights to ruck clearing on the rubber crumb (indoor surface) and then bounce back and forth. My style of training involves a lot of power stuff and being explosive in low positions which relate to coming off the back of a scrum. Training like that has definitely helped me."
Nor will motivation be a problem at Twickenham on Sunday week. An ankle injury sustained early in last year's championship sidelined Morgan at an unfortunate moment and caused him to miss out on last year's Wales-England game in Cardiff. Vunipola's rapid emergence has, until now, also been an issue. "It has been frustrating being on the bench but Billy has been playing out of his skin. I've just been trying to make as much impact as I can when I do get a chance. With his misfortune comes my fortune.
"It is definitely an opportunity for me to express my frustrations of late. You can't just go off on a one-man mission because the team is the thing, but it will be good to express myself.
"Stuart Lancaster has always said he would take form into consideration and that's what he has done. Billy has been consistent but I've always been told it has been close and to keep fighting. It was great to get more of a run against Ireland and showcase what I am about."
Once he has finished singing God Save the Queen, the Englishman who could have played for Wales will be well worth watching.
