Cardiff Blues and Wales prop Gethin Jenkins has revealed that he will be moving to France next season to play for Toulon.
The 31-year-old has been with the capital club since moving from Celtic Warriors in 2004 and has become the most-capped front row forward in the history of Welsh rugby.
But he will sever his ties with the region in the summer and join a growing number of Welsh stars who have decided to ply their trade across the English channel.
Mike Phillips, James Hook, Lee Byrne, Luke Charteris and Aled Brew will all play in France next season and Jenkins will join the likes of Jonny Wilkinson, Matt Giteau and Bakkies Botha at the progressive French outfit.
Jenkins admitted that there was an offer on the table from Cardiff to stay, but international commitments meant that he would not be fully rewarded for his efforts with the club, and that was one of the main issues that tipped the balance in Toulon's favour.
"I definitely will not be with the Blues next season, and yes, I am going to France," he told WalesOnline. "I was offered a deal by the Blues but that was after talks were put off about an extension on several occasions.
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In the end they said they couldn't pay me while I was fulfilling international commitments and so I felt I had no choice.
I had to think about my future, just like any player or anyone in any walk of life would do."
The British Lions star admits he is looking forward to a new chapter in his career in France but made it clear he will not let his standards drop throughout the remainder of the current campaign.
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I won't leave with any bitterness and will give the Blues everything between now and the end of this season, just the same as I have always done," he added. "
But after that, it will be time for me to have a fresh start and a new challenge."