Welsh rugby has been dealt a severe blow with the confirmation that national co-captains Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake will leave the Ospreys to join English Premiership side Gloucester at the end of the season.
A Devastating Double Departure for Welsh Rugby
The high-profile transfers represent a significant loss for the domestic game in Wales. Morgan and Lake were the last two of Wales's recognised star players still based at home, making their decision to cross the border a symbolic and practical setback.
Both players are departing the Swansea-based Ospreys, a region whose very future is under a cloud. The move comes amid major uncertainty caused by the Welsh Rugby Union's controversial plan to reduce the number of professional teams in Wales from four to three.
Uncertainty Drives Stars to Seek New Challenge
Jac Morgan, who was Wales's only British & Irish Lion on last summer's tour to Australia, described the choice to leave as extremely difficult. He expressed hope that Ospreys supporters would understand his desire for a new challenge, while affirming the club would always hold a special place in his heart.
The ongoing structural turmoil within Welsh rugby, particularly the potential axing of a region, is understood to be a key factor in both players seeking stability and opportunity at Kingsholm, Gloucester's historic ground.
WRU Response and Wider Rugby Law Trials
In reaction to the news, the WRU reiterated its belief that it can get the national game back on track, though it acknowledged there is a long way to go. Meanwhile, on a global scale, World Rugby is set to consider a major law change.
The governing body will assess bringing a lower tackle height to the professional game if a trial at next summer's Under-20 Championship in Georgia proves successful. This follows community-level trials in 2023, including those led by the RFU, which lowered the legal tackle height from the shoulder to below the sternum.
World Rugby states these trials have successfully reduced concussion rates globally, prompting the extension to junior international level in 2026.
