Michael Cheika can hardly watch each time Samu Kerevi waltzes past an overmatched defender in Japan's Top League.
Not because he has had a punt on the other team, but because the former Wallabies coach rates his former prodigy so highly – and can't believe he has slipped out of Australia's clutches for the time being.
But that hammer blow has been softened somewhat by the rapid emergence of his Reds replacement Hunter Paisami.
The 22-year-old helped Queensland beat the Brumbies with a deft kicking game last weekend but on Saturday night he carried out assistant coach Jim McKay's instructions to run it straight with devastating effect.
Paisami's urgent, muscular play was too much for the Force to handle and his two tries laid the platform for a 26-19 win which fired the Reds to the top of the Super Rugby AU standings.
You would assume Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has pencilled in the names White, O'Connor, Paisami and Petaia as the core of his Test backline with Rebels captain Matt To'omua providing tremendous cover from the bench.
"I hadn't seen much of him until the last couple of years but he's transformed himself up there," Cheika said on Stan Sport.
"He's adding strings to his bow as to how he's perceived by the opposition, not just a crash merchant and a strong tackler, he's got other parts to his game.
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"What's interesting is how he and Petaia can share that centre role without one taking away from the other.
"We haven't seen a lot of Jordan Petaia this year."
Despite his tender years, the Samoa-born, Auckland-raised Paisami has already experienced plenty of highs and lows, both on and off the field.
He was a highly rated prospect at Melbourne with the Rebels but blotted his copy book after being charged with affray on a big night out.
Rebels coach Dave Wessels later told him he was too small to play Super Rugby and Paisami worked his way back into the professional picture via club rugby in Brisbane.
The centre was sleeping at his manager's office and cycling around the city's building sites at one stage – a hunger that pops through the TV when he carts the ball up.
"We are not doing jobs in rugby, there's people out there doing real work – building roads, fighting wars," Cheika said.
"It's great that he did that but it then allows you to appreciate.
"You want to see that enthusiasm and energy as coaches, because that energises you.
"You go 'wow, these are the guys I want to take to battle with me and fight with me because they've got the energy for it.'
"The fact that he was doing that, it's great stuff and it keeps him real, keeps his feet on the ground."
And if that wasn't enough of a grounding, Paisami and partner Chloe this week shared the news that they were expecting their first child together.
Paisami marked the moment with a classic 'rock the baby' try celebration and you get the feeling there are more of those to come.
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