For professional rugby fans in Wales there has been very little to cheer about of late with the four professional sides - Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets - struggling off the field while a whole host of international players are expected to cross either the Severn Bridge or the Channel at the end of the season.
It has even been argued the revered Wales jersey has lost some of its allure following Immanuel Feyi-Waboso's decision to turn his back on the country of his birth to represent England, while some players are expected to make themselves ineligible for international selection by taking up contracts elsewhere, and falling victim to the controversial 25-cap law.
But among all the doom and gloom engulfing Welsh rugby there was one bit of good news which broke this week with Wales wing Rio Dyer signing a new contract to remain at the Dragons. The 24-year-old wasn't short of offers, with Saracens one of a line of clubs interested in acquiring his services.
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"Yeah, obviously, being that it's a tough time in Welsh rugby, with budgets," Dyer says when asked if he was happy to secure his Dragons future for another few years. "No matter who you are, it is stressful trying to sign deals and stay with clubs.
"That pressure is off my back now and I can just focus on my rugby and enjoy it like I've always done. Obviously, there's external factors, like you've said but deep down, I've basically grown up through the dragon's structure and with a lot of the boys.
"There's a lot of youngsters in the squad and everyone is starting to change the stigma. I've been here a few years and we have been a region that lose, it's like a tumbleweed and we keep losing and then we're just known for being the squad that loses.
"It's more of a case that people are kind of taking more of a personal attack to it now, we're out here trying to prove something and prove that we are a region that can be successful." While the money on offer outside of Wales must have been tempting, along with the prospect of playing for a club competing for silverware, Dyer would have been captured by the 25-cap law.
The law, which is in place to retain the best talent in Wales in order to secure optimum preparation time for the men's national coach, has been heavily criticised of late. Its critics would point to young Wales centre Joe Hawkins who is currently not eligible to represent his country having joined Exeter Chiefs without the required 25 caps.
But the cap law has succeeded in keeping other players in Wales with Dyer a prime example. "It was a huge part of the decision," said Dyer when asked whether the 25-cap law and representing Wales was the main reason he decided to stay in Wales.
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"I've worked tirelessly over the years, and it was a dream to put that Welsh jersey on. Rugby is a tough sport and business, putting on the Welsh jersey means too much to me, I couldn't let it go.
"I love putting it on and I love the environment. I'm trying my best now to perform as well as I can.
"I want to keep doing what I can and keep in the squad. As a young boy, you watch all the ex-professionals who put the Welsh jersey on. I was very lucky and I'm thankful that I got to play with a lot of them, they've left a huge legacy in the Welsh jersey.
"It was a proud moment for me to get that opportunity to play with the ones who have now retired and left their mark in that jersey. Even though people might not see it as a huge thing to them from an outside look.
"For me, a young boy who's grown up living in Wales and playing in Wales, to wear that red jersey is a privilege that no one can take off you." Dyer has made a strong start to his life as an international player, and is confident there is a lot more to come.
The Dragons wing, who cites French superstar Damian Penaud as the best player he's faced, will be a key player in Wales' Six Nations campaign especially after Louis Rees-Zammit's shock decision to quit rugby for the NFL. Despite Wales' inexperienced squad in comparison to some of their rivals he is confident they can cause more than a few shocks over the next couple of months.
"Being an underdog is a good thing," he said. "If there is a lot of young boys there's going to be a lot of young boys who have something to prove, and are going to give 100% on the field.
"I think it's that development process, fine tuning everything, and every time we go on the pitch we don't just go out there thinking it's a young squad. It's about going out there to give 110%, and making sure you do everything on the field not for yourself but for everyone else around you.
"I think that's the main thing moving forward."
