Williams will become the latest senior defender to leave Welsh rugby when he signs a £250,000-a-year deal with the English club after George North signed for Provence Rugby in France’s second division.
However, Cardiff are not resting on their laurels and the Welsh side are keen to bring Hardy to the Welsh capital. Hardy has attracted interest from the Ospreys and a number of English clubs and is believed to be set to leave the Scarlets at the end of the season.
All four Welsh professional teams will see their playing budgets drop from £5.2m to £4.5m next season if two marquee players are allowed to go over the salary cap, meaning many players will leave the country, but it could also spark regional joy.
to turn But there is light at the end of the tunnel for Cardiff, who have secured a major investment through new majority shareholders Helford Capital Limited. It has been suggested that Cardiff’s budget for next season should be higher than their £4.5m salary cap as they could afford to spend more, but this would have to be voted on by the Professional Rugby Board. Scarlets already have Walesand#039; first-choice number nine Gareth Davies and Archie Hughes on their books, meaning Hardy will continue after his contract expires.
If Hardy were to leave Wales, he could be left out of the national squad as they currently have less than 25 players. Hardy is wanted to be kept in Wales, with Cardiff leading the charge for his signature, but the Ospreys have also expressed an interest in signing the 28-year-old. Hardy has been a regular in the Wales squads since his Test debut against Georgia in 2020, but has not had a single game in the No.9 shirt.
Listen to the latest Welsh rugby podcast Williams is likely to be followed across the Severn Bridge by the veteran Wales international, with Dragons duo Leon Brown and Aaron Wainwright sparking interest from Bristol Bears and Leicester Tigers, while Saracens have Rhys Carre wanted among other clubs.
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