The Ospreys U18s second-row is set to move to France next season
Luke Fender (right) is set to follow brother James to France next season(Image: Luke Fender)
The younger brother of a Wales squad member is set to join his older sibling in swapping the Ospreys for France this summer.
Uncapped second-row James Fender – who was part of Steve Tandy’s autumn squad – has already announced a move to Pro D2 outfit Grenoble. The 24-year-old will join former Ospreys and Dragons fly-half Sam Davies at the second tier club.
His younger brother, Luke, is now also in line to move abroad – with a deal lined up for Nationale Rugby outfit Nissa.
The ambitious third tier club, based in Nice, are aiming to bounce back to the Pro D2 – with their sights set on reaching the Top 14 eventually.
There’s already Welsh interest at the club.
Former Fiji Sevens coach Gareth Baber is head coach, while ex-Dragons skill coach Barry Maddocks is also at the club.
Former Scarlets and Canada second-row Jamie Cudmore is also part of the coaching staff.
Their presence is understood to be part of the draw for the younger Fender brother.
Luke – also a second-row – has been a part of the Ospreys U18s team in recent seasons.
The Ospreys’ age-grade side has been crowned the best in Wales for the past two seasons, having recently beaten Cardiff in the final at the Arms Park.
However, the younger Fender looks set for a change of scenery – with France proving tempting for both brothers.
It’s understood Grenoble had showed interest in Luke – which would have seen him once again at the same club as his brother.
But the move to Nice allows him the chance to strike out on his own.
The elder Fender is understood to remain eligible for Wales selection, despite some uncertainty over the past year.
The 24-year-old came close to joining Grenoble last season, only for the 25-cap rule to scupper those plans.
The second-row was captured by the rule despite being uncapped because he was a player of national interest.
As such, had the Ospreys released him early from his contract, the Professional Rugby Board could have deemed he was ineligible to play for Wales.
This season once again saw James look to join Grenoble – with a deal signed back in January.
There were also offers from the Scarlets and another Welsh region, although the salary signed off by the Welsh Rugby Union was understood to be considerably lower than the one in France.
It’s understood that Fender has had confirmation from both the WRU and Wales coaches that he remains available for selection following his move this summer.