Jac Morgan is free to pursue a move to England and also continue his international career despite having 24 Test caps with Gloucester set to sign the Wales captain.

Welsh Rugby Union rules state that players who are employed by clubs outside of their homeland must have 25 caps or more to also represent their country.

Morgan is one appearance under that number and is also set to miss the entire 2026 Six Nations after having surgery on a dislocated shoulder suffered against Argentina last month.

While the in-demand flanker - who shone with the Lions in Australia earlier this month - might not play for his country again until the summer of 2026, he is still set to cross the border.

It is understood the WRU has agreed to add the two Lions Test caps he won Down Under to his Wales appearances number, making a total of 26 and rendering the selection rule irrelevant in his case. 

Morgan was offered a new deal by his current employers Ospreys. But with the club's future very much at risk amid WRU plans to cut the number of Wales' domestic clubs from four to three, it now looks certain he will leave. Morgan had met with PREM giants Saracens who were also very interested in his signature.

But instead, Gloucester are the new favourites to secure his signature.

Another Ospreys man and Wales captain in Dewi Lake is also set to move from Swansea to Gloucester.

Lake moved past the 25-cap mark in Wales' autumn campaign.

There can be no doubt the huge level of uncertainty in the Welsh game is having an impact on players who are after contractual security in what is a short career.

Morgan and Lake are the two highest-profile members of Steve Tandy's national squad currently still at Welsh-based clubs, though that is soon to change.

Meanwhile, South Africa lock Eben Etzebeth has apologised for the eye contact he made on Wales back-row Alex Mann, labelling the incident which handed him a 12-week ban a 'mistake.'

Last week, an independent disciplinary panel found Etzebeth guilty of gouging in his team's 73-0 win over Wales on November 29.

'I accept guilt. I made a mistake and I'm willing to serve a suspension which I deserve,' said Etzebeth, who is his country's most-capped player. 

'I don't want young kids who look up to the Springboks to think it's OK to eye gouge someone because it's not. 'Unfortunately, mistakes happen and I made a big one for which I'm sorry.'

Elsewhere, Northampton coaches Phil Dowson and Sam Vesty have signed new contracts.

The pair led the Saints to the 2024 PREM Rugby title and last season's Champions Cup final and have been in charge of one of the most successful periods in the club's history.