Wales captain Dan Biggar confirms that he will leave Northampton Saints at the end of the season
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Dan Biggar warns clubs now the Wales captain confirms he will leave Northampton Saints at the end of the season – possibly an end to his international career – while eyeing a lucrative move to France or Japan
- Dan Biggar of Northampton Saints will be looking for a new club at the end of the season
- The 32-year-old fly-half has emerged as a leading figure for club and country
- Biggar joined Northampton from the Welsh region of Ospreys for the 2018-19 season
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Dan Biggar has hinted that he will be turning his back on international rugby with Wales and revealed he is open to offers abroad after confirming he will be leaving Northampton Saints at the end of the season.
Fly-half Biggar has been a key figure for club, country and the British & Irish Lions for the past two years, succeeding Alun Wyn Jones as Wales captain.
The 32-year-old will decide his club future in the next 12 months, but it looks like he will leave the Testarena after next year’s World Cup in France.
Dan Biggar (above) has confirmed he will be leaving Northampton Saints at the end of the season
Biggar has become a popular figure with Saints supporters since he joined in 2018
“The end of the World Cup cycle is a good time to think about changes,” said Biggar. “Depending on how that turns out and what the offers are, I might start looking at something around that time. It’s also about trying to go out on my own terms.’
Biggar is unlikely to be short of offers and said he would be open to looking at moves to France or Japan, if those suit his young family.
Biggar joined Northampton from the Welsh region of Ospreys ahead of the 2018/19 season and has become a popular figure with Saints supporters.
Northampton rugby director Phil Dowson admitted that the cut in the Premiership salary cap had had an impact on Biggar’s move on.
Saints are expected to take over Fin Smith from crisis club Worcester as a long-term option as a playmaker.
A move abroad could end his career in Wales, in one blow for international coach Wayne Pivac
‘I’m open to anything. I’ll have had five absolutely brilliant years here, but I won’t cut corners on offers when they come,” said Biggar.
“I’m not ruling out anything, but it has to be the right move for me and for my young family as well. I have two boys and a partner to think about.’
Biggar is poised to become the last international star to leave the Premiership as the league continues to battle financial difficulties. All clubs in the division are tightening their belts.
Worcester has already fallen under management and has been banned from the Premiership for the remainder of the season, while Wasps also face an uncertain future.
“The situation in the English league is not very healthy at the moment and I know things are not so good in Wales either,” said Biggar.
Saints expected to take over Fin Smith from crisis club Worcester as a long-term option
“Things can change very quickly, as the past few weeks have proven in this competition. From a personal point of view it would be really nice to have an experience and I am quite open to seeing different parts of the world and different cultures.
“It’s really exciting to see what the future holds. I really don’t know what’s going to happen. I’m very curious about what’s to come.’
Biggar is so important to Wales that if he moved on after the World Cup, his country would run out of 10 options. Gareth Anscombe, currently with the Ospreys, is also expected to move abroad.
Callum Sheedy, Jarrod Evans and Sam Costelow are young Welsh fly-half options. But none have the immense experience of the 100-cap Biggar who has already had talks about his future with Wales head coach Wayne Pivac.
“I told him (Pivac) that the goal is to go to the World Cup and then see where we are,” added Biggar.