With the controversial 60 cap rule now lowered to 25, the prospect of an exodus of players leaving Wales has become a real possibility.
While there are fewer opportunities for Welsh players in England and France compared to years gone by, there are a number of players who are attracting interest from outside of the country.
WalesOnline looks at the transfer stories which could become a reality over the coming weeks and months.
Ross Moriarty
WalesOnline broke the news yesterday that Dragons loose-forward Ross Moriarty was on the verge of a move away from Welsh rugby.
French club Bayonne are a leading contender for his signature while former European champions Exeter Chiefs are also in the mix.
The Dragons would love to keep the 54-times-capped Wales star but clubs in France can easily outbid the £278,000-a-year the Welsh club can offer him.
Moriarty was a shock omission from Warren Gatland's Six Nations squad, which may make it an easier decision to leave Wales, especially given he will remain eligible for the national side.
We have heard a deal to leave Wales is very close to being completed and it would be a shock if he wasn't throwing his weight around in the Top14 next season.
Dillon Lewis
The Wales tighthead is out of contract at the end of the season and as WalesOnline reported in December he has a contract offer on the table from Gloucester.
With wages being pushed down, the 60 cap law would have been a reason for Lewis to remain in the Welsh capital but with it being reduced to 25 he would remain eligible if he were to leave.
Gloucester are a big club and the prospect of playing in front of big crowds on a weekly basis is likely to appeal, as is playing in a league which could improve his scrummaging.
But as the players have pointed out, money isn't everything with many preferring the comforts of home to a move over the border.
We think this one is in the balance.
Josh Adams
The Cardiff and Wales wing is attracting significant interest from clubs in France with big spending Lyon prepared to pull out all the stops to secure his signature.
Under the current payment model the Welsh Rugby Union pay for 80% of a Wales National Squad 38 (NS38) player's salary with the region picking up the remaining 20%.
Moving forward, the regions will have to honour the contracts of the NS38 players without the money to pay them, meaning there's very little left to contract others.
This makes the prospect of a transfer fee from a French or Japanese club attractive to a club like Cardiff, especially considering they will hardly see their front-line Wales players next season due to the Rugby World Cup.
However, as part of the new Welsh rugby agreement about to be signed, a region could lose funding if they let a player who is in the "national interest 60" move on without having made "reasonable endeavours" to retain his services.
WalesOnline understands this would be a sticking point in Cardiff accepting a transfer fee for Adams.
Having said that, Lyon are big payers and are putting together a star-studded back-line having already signed Bristol's Fijian superstar Semi Radradra.
But for the reasons stated above the chances of this going through are probably below 50%.
Liam Williams
At the age of 31, Williams may look for one last pay day overseas following Wales' Rugby World Cup campaign.
Even though he was dropped from Wales' squad to face England, the Cardiff full-back remains heavily respected in world rugby circles.
WalesOnline reported a couple of weeks ago that mega-rich Japanese club Kubota Spears were interested in securing his services.
We have since learned they have gone cold on the idea, with reservations over Williams' discipline and injury record, but there remains other Japanese clubs who are interested.
A move to Japan is the most lucrative a player can make with a stream of world class players already plying their trade in the Japan Rugby League One so it is bound to interest a player of Williams' quality.
But he remains in contract at Cardiff with the same complications as Adams in place.
We'd say this one is 50/50.
Joe Hawkins
French newspaper Midi Olympique linked the young Wales centre with a move from the Ospreys to Exeter Chiefs last week.
But Exeter director of rugby Rob Baxter has since denied the reports.
"I don't know where the rumour has come from and I don't know where it's started, but right here and now there's no truth in it," Baxter said.
"It's a lot of talk and I have no idea where it's started."
Even though wages are going down in Wales along with the cap law, Hawkins has only played four times for his country meaning he would become ineligible should he leave.
This one is a complete non-starter.
Nigel Owens
According to reports in the South African press, legendary Welsh referee and Wales Online columnist Nigel Owens is being targeted by the Springboks to join their coaching team.
South Africa want Owens to become their referee coach and the Springboks coaching team have put the proposal to South Africa Rugby's executive committee.
Refereeing legend Owens, who was the man in the middle for the 2015 World Cup final between New Zealand and Australia at Twickenham, hung up his whistle in 2021 having taken charge of a record 100 international Tests.
When approached by City Press for a comment, Owens is reported by them to have said: “I haven’t heard anything, but it would certainly be an honour.”
Perhaps he'll give an answer in his next column!
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