There were 21 "additional players" registered for potential European action ahead of the Round 3 matches in the Heineken Cup and Amlin Challenge Cup - and South African Luke Watson certainly made a massive impact on his Bath Rugby debut.
The Springbok, Stormers and Western Province back rower was voted man of the match in the 16-9 win over Edinburgh - Bath's first victory in the Guinness Premiership or Heineken Cup since 18 September - and his mum and dad were over to watch his Euro debut.
"The most important thing was the win for the team," said the 26-year-old.
"It has been a tough and unfortunate season so far but the team morale has been great at Bath ever since I arrived. It is an environment in which it is all about the team and not the individual.
"I felt very frustrated for them watching from the outside in South Africa before I arrived because they haven't always got what their performances have deserved.
"I don't think their current position in the Premiership is a fair reflection on where they are as a team.
"But this was a really gutsy performance and a great win for the team. We showed real character and I really think this could be a bit of a turning point for us.
"I certainly don't want to pull that card too soon and say we are going to win every game for the rest of the season, but it is possibly a point in the competition where we can look and say we have put our hand up, put in a great effort and got our just reward."
Bath Rugby won the Heineken Cup in 1998 and added the Amlin Challenge Cup honours a decade later and Watson is just another newcomer to be bitten by the Heineken bug.
"The Heineken Cup is a very tough competition and I thoroughly enjoyed it," he said.
"It has that little something extra because it is an international competition and the level and standard of northern hemisphere rugby is very high - it is very tough and physical.
"It has been very enjoyable so far and while it has been frustrating that we've lost some games so narrowly, this will have been a big boost for our confidence.
"Now we are preparing for the return fixture against Edinburgh in Scotland and I am really looking forward to going to Murrayfield.
"I have never played there before and Edinburgh are really going to be up for it as it is going to be a big revenge match for them. But we will go there with a lot of confidence after this win and it is going to be another good game.
"Bath have been unbelievable to me so far and have helped me to settle in. Having said that, it is never easy to switch countries and land with your feet running.
"The move to Bath is about expanding my career, facing new challenges and, hopefully, starting my career up here again."
