![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/0_JS324588842.jpg\")
<\/p>\nThe four-cap international could be the latest young Welshman to head to France<\/p>\n
10:01, 15 Jan 2026Updated 11:23, 15 Jan 2026<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Mackenzie Martin during training(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency Ltd)<\/p>\n
Wales international Mackenzie Martin is close to a move to France that would put his Test career on hold.<\/p>\n
The 22-year-old is currently on loan at the Dragons from hometown club Cardiff<\/a>, having moved to Rodney Parade at the start of the season. Appearances for the Men of Gwent have been few and far between though, with Martin playing just four times.<\/p>\n Despite that, the Dragons are understood to be keen on keeping the four-cap No. 8 in Newport<\/a> next season, with his current deal with Cardiff expiring this summer.<\/p>\n However, reports in France suggest a move to Pro D2 outfit Beziers is on the cards.<\/p>\n Midi Olympique<\/a> report that Martin is close to joining the French club as a potential replacement for Otunuku Pauta.<\/p>\n WalesOnline understands no deal has been signed just yet, though.<\/p>\n However, sources suggest the young No. 8 could be open to a change of scenery after a rapid rise in Welsh rugby.<\/p>\n Martin was capped by Warren Gatland<\/a> in the 2024 Six Nations<\/a>, just weeks after making his senior debut for Cardiff.<\/p>\n Prior to that, he had been playing for Cardiff RFC in Super Rygbi Cymru.<\/p>\n The last of Martin’s four caps came against South Africa in the summer of 2024, with the No. 8 also being an unused replacement against Australia in Melbourne.<\/p>\n Martin later revealed to WalesOnline<\/a> that he had learned of his uncle’s death on the morning of that Test at AAMI Park.<\/p>\n Martin hasn’t featured in a Wales squad since that summer tour.<\/p>\n He struggled for game-time at Cardiff in his first full season with the club, playing fewer than 100 minutes of rugby.<\/p>\n Instead, he once again turned out for Cardiff RFC in the SRC – leading to the loan move to the Dragons to reinvigorate his career.<\/p>\n Any move to France would end any hopes of a recall for the foreseeable – with Martin short of the 25 caps required.<\/p>\n Martin is the latest Welsh youngster to be linked with a move to France’s second tier this week.<\/p>\n Ospreys<\/a>‘ uncapped second-row James Fender is close to signing a deal with Grenoble – although there is also interest from a couple of Top 14 clubs, while the Scarlets<\/a> are looking at the 24-year-old.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The four-cap international could be the latest young Welshman to head to France 10:01, 15 Jan 2026Updated 11:23,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":371334,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[26923,5903,101,56,54,55,9015],"class_list":["post-371333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-rugby","tag-dragons","tag-rugby","tag-sports","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-wales-rugby-team"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371333","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=371333"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/371333\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/371334"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=371333"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=371333"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=371333"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}