Eighty-three Wales caps and shares in Welsh Grand Slams and tours with the British & Irish Lions have been Dan Biggar's reward for consistent play but he credits his stint at Northampton with refreshing his career.
As all British and Irish players look towards the opportunity of making another Lions tour, to South Africa next year, Biggar, 30, is making the most of the development of his game under the coaching of former Hurricanes coach Chris Boyd and his assistant coach Sam Vesty.
The New Zealand connection is not new as he played all his Wales rugby under Warren Gatland and last season under Wayne Pivac. More recently he has competed for his place in the Wales side with transplanted Kiwi Gareth Anscombe.
That included taking tactical charge for Wales at the Rugby World Cup in Japan when Anscombe was ruled out due to injury, taking eventual champions South Africa close before losing 16-19 in their semifinal.
While he doesn't fit the usual Welsh mould for first five-eighths, he's taller at 6ft 1in than most of them, he was happy in his frame.
"What I didn't want to be, is what I'm not," he told The Rugby Paper.
"I knew I wouldn't be as X-factor as Beauden Barrett, but I wanted to be able to run a game, and be competitive, consistent, and never-say-die.
"I feel as if I play to my strengths and anything else is a bonus," he said.
Having made the move from Ospreys in Wales to play for Northampton, Biggar found the club had an almost immediate change of coach. Rather than being a potential issue, he found the move suited him even more.
"I've said how impressive Chris [Boyd]is as an individual, and as a coach. When you know the game like he does, and have worked with the quality of players he has at the Hurricanes, and as a New Zealand age-grade coach, he has all the credentials.
"It's the unstructured element of playing what you see that he encourages, and that has benefited me. Chris finds the balance between being a hard taskmaster, but always being a good boss. That's because he 'gets' people, and understands that as individuals they need different things.
"A big part of it is having good man-management skills, and surrounding yourself with good people, and he does both. He works us incredibly hard, but if you put the work in, you get plenty back from him. He always says that anyone can go and see him if they want to discuss anything, and he will always help if it is a welfare issue – but it has to add up because he is no pushover.
"As a man, and as a coach who is taking the players along with the style he's bought in, he's right up there. My relationship with him has been superb – there are not enough good words to describe it," he said.
Assistant coach Sam Vesty had also been a factor in helping Biggar retain his appetite for the game.
"It's refreshed me, and made me feel younger, because, although there is a spine of experience, the squad is full of young, energetic, hungry players who want to get better as players and people.
"Together Chris and Sam have been nothing short of exceptional, and I hope there are good things to come," he said.