Jake Ball has lost over a stone in bulk in order to try and keep pace with the All Blacks and says his “gym monkey” days are over.
The Wales second row – who plays in the game of the weekend as the Scarlets host Munster on Saturday in the opening round of the Guinness Pro12 – has dropped 8kg of muscle for a more streamlined build.
The “leaning down” as he calls it has continued throughout the Wales squad since they returned from New Zealand.
Wales lost the summer Test series with the All Blacks 3-0, but it was not just on the scoreboard where the supremely athletic world champions made their mark.
“A lot of the boys were surprised with the shape of the All Blacks when we went out there,” says Ball.
“We had worked hard with Wales to try and lean down ourselves, but it was still an eye-opener.
“The style of play around the world is changing, especially in the southern hemisphere and that means the mould of the player is altering, too.
“For a while, there were a lot of gym monkey type rugby players around. But now the type needed is much more athletic. You have to be able to run and handle and repeat the speed. We are trying to reflect that in our training.
“I have changed my shape a lot. The heaviest I have been is 127kg which was my weight in the camps just before the World Cup last year. Now, I’m around 119 to 121kg.
“So, I’m a few kilos lighter than I was because the game now is about running and being able to repeat speed. It’s about keeping the strength I had at that weight and being more anaerobic with it.”
Ball, 25, is returning his physique to its younger form, when he was a promising enough fast bowler in Australia to be part of the Western Australia academy under the coach Rod Marsh.
So, the shoulders are a little less huge, the chest not quite so puffed and the thighs are more firm branches than tree trunks. Even the trademark red beard looks a little more cropped.
“The game is evolving and you have to evolve with it,” he says.
“You can no longer have players who can only do one thing. Now, everyone has to be able to pass, to carry the ball, to tackle, to make breaks.
“Teams get figured out. If you are only a ball-carrier, then it becomes easy for the position. But if you can do a few different things, then the opposition are left uncertain. You have to be able to adapt your game.
“In the last Test in New Zealand we blew out a bit, but we mostly lived with them for 65 minutes and I think as we get more used to playing that way it will extend to the full game.”
Ball, though, will still be expected to do all the heavy duty stuff of a lock forward for both country and region this season – starting against Munster.
The Scarlets may have re-signed Jonathan Davies and have Liam Williams, Scott Williams, Rhys Patchell and December arrival Johnny McNicholl in their ranks but someone needs to ensure they have the ball.
“It’s a really exciting back line. But they will only be exciting on the pitch if the forward do our job.
“We have to win our ball and get on the front foot to attack teams. Hopefully, that will happen.”
Ball spent three weeks back in Australia this summer, where he took a lot of time out trying to clear up confusion over his identity.
His Twitter timeline became rammed with messages of congratulations after Nottinghamshire fast bowler Jake Ball – also 25 – made his England debut against Pakistan.
“I was getting all sorts of strange messages. There was a fair bit of confusion there, especially from people in Australia who remembered me as a cricketer.
“It’s strange because he’s the same age as me .I follow him a little bit, and I know he’s been taking wickets.
“I don’t spent time wondering what might have happened to my cricket career, though. I made the switch to concentrate fully on rugby when I was 19 and I know it was the right one.”
Wales international Patchell will be one of three players making their Scarlets debut against Munster.
Signed from Cardiff Blues, Patchell makes his bow alongside South African prop Werner Kruger and 19-year-old number eight Josh Macleod.
Wales and Lions centre Davies, who has rejoined Scarlets from Clermont Auvergne, is on the bench.
Munster academy centre Dan Goggin makes his first start for the visitors.
Full-back Simon Zebo and flanker Tommy O’Donnell are among the Ireland internationals in the Munster team.
Scarlets: Liam Williams; DTH van der Merwe, Scott Williams, Hadleigh Parkes, Steff Evans; Rhys Patchell, Gareth Davies; Dylan Evans, Ken Owens (capt), Werner Kruger, Jake Ball, Lewis Rawlins, Aaron Shingler, John Barclay, Josh Macleod.
Replacements: Ryan Elias, Wyn Jones, Peter Edwards, David Bulbring, Tadhg Beirne, Jonathan Evans, Dan Jones, Jonathan Davies.
Munster: Simon Zebo; Darren Sweetnam, Dan Goggin, Rory Scannell, Ronan O’Mahony; Tyler Bleyendaal, Duncan Williams; James Cronin, Niall Scannell, John Ryan, Dave Foley, Billy Holland (capt) Dave O’Callaghan, Tommy O’Donnell, Jack O’Donoghue.
Replacements: Kevin O’Byrne, Dave Kilcoyne, Brian Scott, Jean Kleyn, Donnacha Ryan, Tomás O’Leary, Ian Keatley, Cian Bohane.
Referee: Lloyd Linton (SRU)