Scarlets youngster Ryhs Priestland hopes versatility will be the deciding factor which earns him a spot in the Welsh squad for the 2011 Rugby World Cup.
The 24-year old has made his name at fly-half, but Stephen Jones' presence in the national side has often resulted in Priestland dropping to full-back. Indeed, he made his international debut for Wales wearing the number 15 shirt, coming off the bench to replace Lee Byrne during the Six Nations victory against Scotland in February.
With Jones and James Hook battling it out for the number 10 jersey, Priestland may have to slot in at full-back again during the World Cup warm-up games. With some quality players contesting the fly-half position, Priestland is pleased just to have the chance of learning from Jones and Hook. Despite admitting he views himself as a playmaker, he has made it clear he is as comfortable at 15 as he is at stand-off.
"I'm comfortable with either position and hope that I can be thought of in both areas. But we have some great players in the squad in both positions," Priestland said.
"With players like James Hook and Stephen Jones, who has had an amazing career and shows no signs of stopping, it's going to be a tough squad to get into. All I can do is keep learning, show my desire and work hard."
Priestland and the rest of the World Cup preliminary squad are currently in Spala, Poland, where they are undergoing conditioning work. Those placing Betfair rugby bets will know how vital this sort of training is.
The training camp, which will continue for much of the summer, will give Priestland the chance to work with two of the country's best ever backs in Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley. Both coaches are fans of the versatile Priestland and are believed to be keen on the youngster gaining some World Cup experience when the tournament kicks off in New Zealand in September.
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