Cardiff have identified Kieran Hardy as a potential replacement for Tomos Williams, who is set to sign a three-year
contract with Gloucester.
Williams will become the latest senior international to leave Welsh rugby when he takes up a £250,000 a year
contract with the English club, after George North signed with Provence Rugby in the French second division.
But Cardiff won’t rest on their laurels and are keen on bringing Wales scrum-half Hardy to the Welsh capital.
A number of English clubs, including the Ospreys, are interested in Hardy. He is anticipated to depart the Scarlets at
the conclusion of the current campaign. Due to the fact that two star players are permitted to earn more than the pay
cap, the playing budgets of all four professional teams in Wales will decrease from £5.2 million to £4.5 million for
the upcoming season. This could lead to a regional exodus of players and numerous stars leaving the nation.
However, Cardiff now has hope as they have acquired significant funding from Helford Capital Limited, its new
majority stakeholder. The Professional Rugby Board would need to decide on whether or not Cardiff’s budget for the
upcoming season should exceed the £4.5 million salary cap because they may be able to spend more.
At the end of his contract, Hardy will leave the Scarlets because they already have Archie Hughes and Gareth Davies,
Wales’ first-choice number nine, on their roster. Hardy presently has fewer than 25 caps, therefore leaving Wales
could make him ineligible for selection for the national team.
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