Top talents are set to move across the border to England to escape the current uncertainty in Welsh rugbyRees-Zammit’s future is up in the air(Image: Bob Bradford – CameraSport via Getty Images)

The futures of several top Wales internationals are up in the air, with English clubs looking to take advantage of the current uncertainty hanging over Welsh rugby.

With the Welsh Rugby Union announcing plans to cut the number of professional sides from four to three, the market in Wales is as unstable as it has ever been, with many players still unsure on exactly how the changes will affect their livelihoods, leading them to weigh up their options as a result.

With the WRU wanting only one side in west Wales, the Ospreys or Scarlets are seen as most at risk of being cut, with top talent now set to move across the border to England to escape the uncertainty.

The Ospreys look set to lose two of their top players, with Wales captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake now looking likely to depart for the same Gallagher PREM side ahead of next season.

Morgan, who has comfortably been Wales’ best player in a torrid few years for the national team, has understandably attracted a lot of interest from other clubs, particularly in the wake of his impressive tour campaign with the British & Irish Lions over the summer.

The 25-year-old has been the subject of interest from Saracens in recent weeks, but it is now understood that Gloucester have moved into pole position to sign him ahead of the next campaign, with some sources describing the deal as good as done.

That development comes after the Cherry & Whites also emerged as the frontrunners to sign hooker Lake, with a deal – understood to be worth in the region of £250,000 a year – now close to completion.

The Wales international’s contract expires at the end of the season and, while he has held talks with a number of Gallagher PREM sides, he now looks set to move to Kingsholm where he may well now be joined by his current team-mate and close friend Morgan.

However, while two may come in, another Wales star is set to leave Gloucester ahead of the 2026/27 campaign with scrum-half Tomos Williams expected to be on the move again. The 65-cap international is another whose contract expires at the end of the current season and, having attracted interest from clubs across Europe, he is believed to be on the verge of a stunning switch to Saracens.

Having been hugely impressive for George Skivington’s side since his move from Cardiff last year – and being crowned the best player in the league for the 2024/5 season – Gloucester are keen to keep Williams, but their PREM rivals are close to completing a deal to bring him to north London.

The Cherry & Whites could, however, move for a third Ospreys star to fill any void left by Tomos Williams, with the BBC reporting that Kieran Hardy is “in contention” to replace him as Gloucester’s scrum-half.

It is not just Hardy who could leave Mark Jones’ squad, however, with Wales prop Gareth Thomas also reportedly receiving interest from England and fly-half Dan Edwards emerging as a target for Leicester Tigers.

All three Welshmen have also been targeted by Mike Tindall’s breakaway rebel league R360, but with the launch date for the ambitious venture being pushed back until 2028, they now look to be heading elsewhere.

Fellow Wales internationals Rhys Carre and Louis Rees-Zammit were also targets for the rebel league, with their club futures now hanging in the balance. However, it is believed that prop Carre’s time with Saracens could be coming to an end, with Leicester also reportedly keen to snap him up now he’s back on the market.

It is understood that Leicester are looking for a replacement for Carre’s compatriot Nicky Smith, with the loosehead believed to be heading for the exit at Welford Road ahead of next season.

In Rees-Zammit’s case, there is more of a question mark hanging over his future, with the Welsh flyer previously expected to join R360 once his one-year deal with Bristol Bears expired. With that option now not on the table for another two years, the 24-year-old will be out of a contract next summer with his next destination, if any, now unclear.

However, the Wales star has made it clear he is loving life as part of Pat Lam’s side, having moved to Ashton Gate in the summer after returning from a stint in the United States, where he tried to make it in the NFL.

“I absolutely love it,” he told TNT Sports after Bristol’s win over Northampton Saints last month. “It’s so good to be back in the Premiership. It’s amazing to be at Bristol as well. The whole club, my team-mates, they’ve all made me feel so welcome. The supporters as well. We get such a good turnout every week.”

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