Scarlets fly-half Ioan Lloyd says it's "the dream" to be Wales' 10 after one former Welsh playmaker backed his chances ahead of the Six Nations.
With Dan Biggar having retired from the international game and the likes of Gareth Anscombe, Rhys Patchell and Jarrod Evans all unavailable, there's a need for Warren Gatland to find serious options ahead of the Six Nations.
Lloyd's Scarlets team-mate Sam Costelow would be first in line, but he is out injured until at least January - handing Lloyd the chance to lay down a marker in the coming months. And when asked about his ambitions to pull on the Welsh 10 jersey, the 22-year-old said: "That is the dream and what I aim to do but it's not in my hands.
"All I can do is play as well I can and help this Scarlets team as well as I can. If that comes then that's the dream."
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After an impressive performance for the Scarlets against the Lions, former Wales fly-half James Hook said that "if there was a Test match now, you'd start him" when discussing Lloyd's chances with the Welsh jersey.
There are, of course, other options - with Owen Williams in contention, while Bristol fly-half Callum Sheedy is back in the frame. It was leaving Bristol in the summer which has catapulted Lloyd back into contention for Wales selection.
During his time at Ashton Gate, the two-cap international moved all over the backline, with his likely position seeming to be inside centre. However, he's adamant that he belongs at 10.
"Hopefully I can get some more game-time at 10 and we can put some results together," added Lloyd.
"I loved my time at Bristol and have some great experience of playing in different positions but I am a 10 and would like to play there. So I needed to take that step to do that.
"I am loving it. It feels like a new challenge or revisiting what I used to do. I am enjoying the challenge, there are a lot of things to learn but I am doing that as I go and hopefully this will make me a better player. There is a lot of game management stuff which comes with time."
Before Lloyd can think of pulling on the Welsh jersey, he'll have to continue to impress in a Scarlets one. And the history of the Scarlets' 10 jersey is one that is providing him with plenty of inspiration.
"There is massive rich history in the jersey, I have big boots to fill and hopefully I can do it proud," said Lloyd. "The opportunity to come here and get back to Wales to a club like the Scarlets was too big a chance to turn down.
"I admire Costy [Costelow]. He is a great player and I admire his playing style and hopefully I can learn off that and hopefully he can learn off me as well. I see it as healthy competition."
