One of Welsh rugby's hottest young prospects Max Llewellyn has turned his back on the regional game by signing for an English Premiership club, while Wales prop Dillon Lewis is also in danger of leaving.
The 23-year-old centre is considered a future Wales international by many but has opted to leave Cardiff for a career over the Severn Bridge, and he could soon be joined by Wales tighthead Lewis, who is also a target for a number of clubs in England. What will be of grave concern is that Llewellyn is English qualified having been born in Kingston while his dad, former Wales international Gareth, was playing for Harlequins.
Welsh rugby is in a state of crisis with the Welsh Rugby Union and the four regions not yet rubberstamping a six-year financial framework, despite coming to a verbal agreement on Monday - the day Warren Gatland was unveiled as Wales' head coach for at least the next 10 months. A freeze on offering new contracts for next season means Cardiff were unable to table a deal for Llewellyn, and it has resulted in the big centre turning his back on the game in Wales.
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Llewellyn's decision to leave Wales comes fresh on the heels of Wales second-row Will Rowlands signing for French giants Racing 92, which was confirmed on Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Welsh Rugby Players Association released a hard-hitting statement at the weekend claiming the uncertainty over the future was having a detrimental effect on the wellbeing of players and their performances at regional level.
The dam has finally broken, with players fed up of the delay in securing their long-term futures. Rowlands and Llewellyn are likely to be the first of many to leave with Wales blindside Ross Moriarty also a big target for clubs in England, France, and Japan.
Losing experienced internationals is one thing but young, up-and-coming players deciding to leave for England will be of even greater concern for returning Wales head coach Gatland and Welsh rugby powerbrokers in general.
Despite putting pen to paper on a deal with an English club, Llewellyn will remain eligible for Wales as uncapped players are not tied by the WRU's controversial 60-cap rule. But even so, the loss of Llewellyn is a hammer blow for both Cardiff and Welsh rugby as a whole with arguments at boardroom level resulting in dire consequences.
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