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The latest rugby transfer news from Welsh rugby
The Ospreys are growing increasingly confident that Wales scrum-half Kieran Hardy will stay at the club.
The 28-cap international had been linked with a move away from Wales, with Gloucester showing interest following the departure of Tomos Williams to Saracens. Cardiff were also understood to have looked at the 30-year-old.
However, a move to Gloucester seems off the cards now, with the Kingsholm club having turned to Pau half-back Dan Robson.
And the Ospreys are confident that the in-form Hardy, who shone in the recent festive derbies, will follow half-back partner Dan Edwards’ lead and stay put.
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“Hopefully, we’re working tirelessly in the background to secure our homegrown talent,” said Ospreys head coach Mark Jones about the prospect of announcing more new deals. “We’re working on that around the budget on what that looks like, as there’s a lot of unknowns in Welsh rugby.
“It’s a tough thing to do but we’re hoping we’ve got a few more signings over the coming weeks.”
On Hardy specifically, Jones added: “When you’re a good player, you get linked with good teams. High-profle players get spoken about.
“We’ve had a few of those players through this uncertainty. But other than Dewi (Lake) and Jac (Morgan), who are obviously very, very high-profile, we’ve managed to secure a lot of our target, which I’m really pleased about.
“I’d have loved to keep Dewi and Jac around the environment. But there were things that we couldn’t control beyond rugby and money.
“They were looking for some sort of security around the length of their contracts. I understand that.
“What has been good is we’ve secured the other guys. Harri Deaves, Keelan Giles, Morgan Morse and Dan Edwards. We’re hopeful we can get quite a few others over the line in the next few weeks and celebrate some talent in Wales again.”
The Ospreys do seem set to lose uncapped Wales second-row James Fender though, with the long-awaited move to Grenoble inching closer.
One potential replacement could be Bath’s Welsh-qualified second-row Harvey Cuckson, who is currently on loan at rivals Scarlets.
The Ospreys are understood to have looked at the 22-year-old – who joined the Llanelli-based region back in October.
Another option could be Wales international Christ Tshiunza. The 24-year-old has endured an injury-hit campaign so far at Exeter Chiefs.
The second-row/back-row hybrid seemingly set to miss the Six Nations having already been absent for last year’s autumn internationals.
The CV of Tshiunza – who last won a Wales cap in 2024 – is understood to be doing the rounds, with both Ospreys and Cardiff having been approached.
The Arms Park club are also believed to have taken a look at Dragons prop Chris Coleman.
The tighthead won his first cap for Wales last summer, coming off the bench in the second Test victory over Japan in Kobe. The 27-year-old’s second cap against South Africa in the autumn ended in injury, with the prop still sidelined.
Were he to join Cardiff, he could line up alongside fellow Wales international Evan Lloyd in the front-row.
The hooker had been linked with a move elsewhere, with the Scarlets understood to be interested, but he’s set to stay in the capital.
So too is Wales wing Josh Adams.
The 30-year-old was one of a number of Welsh players linked with Mike Tindall’s rebel R360 league. With the breakaway competition delayed for at least a couple of years, Adams is set to stay at the Arms Park.
Talismanic No. 8 Taulupe Faletau – another linked with R360 – is unlikely to remain at Cardiff.
The 35-year-old is set to miss the start of the Six Nations through injury – with fitness issues meaning he has featured in just five of Wales’ last 23 Tests.
When he has played, his class has shone through – as was the case for Cardiff at the backend of last season. And while Faletau ended up signing a deal to remain in Cardiff late in the day last year amid interest from Nice in France, it seems likely that this season will be Faletau’s last with the Blue and Blacks.
The failure of R360 to get off the ground has seen the English market has gone into overdrive in recent weeks.
Perhaps because of the uncertainty in Welsh rugby, it’s been a relatively different story on the other side of the bridge.
Over in France, Welsh-qualified tighthead Beau Farrance is reportedly set to leave Pro D2 club Agen.
However, the 24-year-old – who holds JIFF status meaning another deal in France shouldn’t be impossible to find – is understood to hold little interest in trying to represent Wales.
France’s second tier could also be a possible destination for Dragons wing Ewan Rosser. A Pro D2 club, as well as a Gallagher Prem outfit, are in for the 25-year-old.
