Welsh rugby exodus: Confirmed departures, potential retirements and rumours

Jared Wright
Several United Rugby Championship stars are set to leave Wales at the end of the season as Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets, and Ospreys struggle to hold onto their stars. 

Several United Rugby Championship stars are set to leave Wales at the end of the season as Cardiff, Dragons, Scarlets, and Ospreys struggle to hold onto their players.

In March, the Welsh Rugby Union announced that the first Standard Contracts in Welsh rugby’s history had been agreed upon.

After the lengthy process to finalise the new contract structure, leaving the players unsure of their futures six months out of their contracts expiring, several players will depart their regions.

The new Standard Contracts also meant that players were offered reduced contracts and would earn more elsewhere.

Planet Rugby runs through the confirmed and rumoured departures and potential retirements.

Confirmed Cardiff Rugby departures

Two Cardiff stars will be plying their trade with Premiership outfit Harlequins next season. Tighthead prop Dillon Lewis and fly-half Jarrod Evans signed with the Famous Quarters.

They follow talented back Max Llewellyn in leaving Cardiff for the Premiership; he will link up with Gloucester ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Flanker Olly Robinson left Cardiff in December, while lock Matthew Screech will spend next season on loan at Dragons.

Confirmed Dragons Rugby departures

Lock Will Rowlands is currently sidelined and may have played his final game for the Dragons ahead of his move to Racing 92.

The other big loss for the Dragons was the immediate departure of Wales international Ross Moriarty, who has joined Brive.

Meanwhile, centre Cory Allen announced his retirement in December. Allen did not appear for the Dragons after a troublesome knee problem kept him sidelined since joining from the Ospreys.

Confirmed Ospreys departures

Wales international Joe Hawkins will leave the Ospreys to join Exeter Chiefs next season and will be joined by flanker Ethan Roots at the club.

Meanwhile, Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler has already left the side to join Japanese Rugby League One side Toyota Industries Shuttles.

Finally, veteran fly-half Stephen Myler has announced that he will retire at the end of the season. One of the best league-to-union converts, Myler played over 300 times for Northampton Saints, with stints at London Irish and Ospreys following.

Confirmed Scarlets departures

Scotland international Javan Sebastian heads to Edinburgh next season, signing a two-year deal with the side.

Los Pumas flanker Tomas Lezana left Scarlets mid-season to join Pro D2 club Montauban and will be joined in the league by Sione Kalamafoni, who has signed to join Vannes.

Scarlets lock Josh Helps has confirmed that he will be retiring from professional rugby to pursue a career as a financial advisor.

Helps is followed into retirement by Scotland international Blade Thomson. The 32-year-old hangs up his boots following a head injury.

Potential retirements

There could be further retirements at the end of the season, with three internationals possibly calling time on their careers.

The most capped international rugby player of all time, Alun Wyn Jones, is in the 18th season of his professional career. His contract ends after the Rugby World Cup, and there have been hints of a possible retirement. One never knows for sure when it comes to Jones, but at 37, it is a fair assumption.

Likewise, for current Wales captain Ken Owens, who celebrated his 36th birthday in January. The hooker could press on for the 2025 British and Irish Lions tour but could retire or depart to free up cash for the younger players.

Cardiff fly-half Rhys Priestland could hang his boots up a season earlier than he would have hoped. In January, he said: “The way things are with what’s going on in Wales at the moment, I can’t see myself carrying on here post this year. I wouldn’t be opposed to doing one more year maybe somewhere. There’s a lot to be sorted out in the next few months. When the time comes, I’ll figure out whether I’ll carry on post this year.”

Rumours

While some departures have been confirmed, the rumour mill has been spinning non-stop over the past few months.

Despite being under contract until the end of next season, Josh Adams was heavily linked with a move away from Cardiff to join Lyon. Recent reports state that the move has been unsuccessful for the French side, and Adams is set to see out his contract with the Welsh region.

The same cannot be said of fellow British and Irish Lions international Liam Williams. The full-back also caught the eye of Lyon and has reportedly been offered a contract in Japan with the Kobelco Kobe Steelers. There is a thought that several higher earners will leave their regions to free up the budgets for some of their teammates, and Williams won’t be short on offers.

Ospreys rumours

Another player gaining a lot of interest is Ospreys prop Nicky Smith who has his pick of Premiership clubs. Northampton Saints, Harlequins and Exeter Chiefs are reportedly keen to add him to their books, but it is understood that Bristol Bears and Saracens are leading the way to secure his services.

After capturing Hawkins and Roots from Ospreys, Rob Baxter could add another Welshman to his ranks in the form of Cardiff lock Teddy Williams. The 22-year-old made his Test debut for Wales during the Six Nations, meaning his departure could spell the end of his international career until he returns to Wales.

Staying with the Ospreys and Wales Online reports that Rhys Webb was not pleased with the deal the side offered him. The veteran half-back reportedly has offers in Japan and could add to the growing exodus at Ospreys.

Following him out the door is Gareth Anscombe, with head coach Toby Booth commenting the following when asked if the fly-half will remain at the side next season: “I’d love him to be, for sure; I absolutely would do. He’s back in training at the moment, which is great. He’s a quality player and as the numbers go down, you have to try to maintain your quality. It comes down to what you can fit and what people are prepared to pay them for. That’s a balancing act.” It is believed that Anscombe would head to Japan or France if he did leave the Ospreys. 

Staying with the Ospreys, hooker Scott Baldwin’s deal expires at the end of the season, and he is expected to depart. Fellow forward Dan Lydiate hinted that he could leave too.

Scarlets and Cardiff rumours

The Scarlets hope Ryan Elias will remain at the side despite receiving interest from Top 14 side Racing 92.

Full-back Leigh Halfpenny is understood to be leaving the Scarlets, while Cardiff could lose Rey Lee-Lo, Willis Halaholo and Dmitri Arhip.

“We are there to look after rehab for Willis and Dmitri, but where they are going next year, I don’t know. I don’t know if they’ll be our players next year,” Cardiff coach Dai Young said in March.

“They knew the decision the club had made before their injuries. If we haven’t got money to have competitive offers for Jarrod [Evans], why would we have for Willis and Dmitri?”

READ MORE: ‘World-class’ Josh van der Flier and James Ryan sign new deals with the IRFU and Leinster

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