Senior Wales star agrees terms to leave Welsh side for big money move

Wales second-row Adam Beard is on the verge of joining French big spenders Montpellier for the 2025/26 season.

WalesOnline understands a deal has not yet been signed but the 28-year-old has agreed terms with the Top 14 outfit and is set to leave the Ospreys at the end of the season. Beard has won 56 caps for Wales so will remain eligible for international selection.

The giant second-row has spent his entire career to date with the Ospreys and has made over 100 appearances for the Welsh club. At 6ft 8in and 18st 4lbs, Beard has the size and the power to hold his own in the ultra physical Top 14.

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Beard is the type of player who does the unseen dirty work which rarely gets praised while his lineout work is top class. Montpellier have a star-studded squad but have flattered to deceive in recent seasons, finishing in the bottom two of the Top 14 last season, and only just edging past PRO D2 outfit Grenoble 20-18 in the Top 14 access match to remain in the top tier of French rugby.

But they have a strong squad which includes former England No 8 Billy Vunipola and Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg. Despite moving to France Beard will remain a key part of Warren Gatland's plans as he continues to build a squad capable of competing at the 2027 Rugby World Cup in France.

But Gatland will have a decent chunk of players plying their trades outside of Wales next season, with 11 in his current squad for the Autumn Nations Series. If Beard does put pen to paper as is expected, he will be the second Wales lock in the Top 14, along with Racing 92's Will Rowlands.

While the salary cap in Welsh rugby is set to rise to over £5m next season, wages at some clubs in England, and most definitely France, are far higher than players can earn in Wales.