Two of Otago leading performers from last year are believed to be heading for the same Welsh club.
Captain Michael Collins and lock Jack Regan, both of whom have played for the Highlanders this year, are set to head to top Welsh club Ospreys.
Collins has captained the Otago side for the past 2½ seasons and played in the past three successful Otago Ranfurly Shield challenges.
He started playing in the midfield for Otago but has moved to fullback in the past few season where he has impressed.
Collins, who turns 28 next month, can qualify for Wales through his grandparents.
That also means he will not be regarded an an import by the Welsh club.
He has played 71 matches for Otago since debuting for the province in 2012.
Ospreys is based in Swansea and is the most successful club in the Celtic or Pro 14 league, having won it four times.
It sits third in conference A of the Pro14 league.
Collins previously played in Wales for the Llanelli Scarlets in the 2015-16 season.
Irishman Regan has gone from the scrapheap to a contract with one of the leading Welsh clubs.
Regan, who turns 24 this month, was let go by professional Irish club Ulster and was unsure of his next move.
He then received a call at the start of last year from Dunedin and asked if he was interested in playing a season for the Kettle Park club.
He arrived in the South just before last year’s Covid-19 lockdown in late March.
But he got through that, played well for Dunedin and was picked in the Otago Mitre 10 Cup side.
He played in every game for Otago and then, through injuries, managed to force himself into the Highlanders at the start of the season.
It was a major leap in a year for Regan.
The move to a powerful Welsh club is a major boost to his career.
