Six Nations 2023: Centre Nick Tompkins does not expect Welsh player exodus
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Wales centre Nick Tompkins and England lock Maro Itoje are Saracens team-mates
Wales centre Nick Tompkins does not believe the reduction of Welsh rugby's 60-cap rule to 25 will prompt a mass exodus of players from regional rugby.
The minimum 60-cap Test selection rule for players plying their trade outside Wales was reduced last week.
The move helped prevent a possible players' strike ahead of Saturday's Six Nations loss to England.
"The argument I've heard that kind of everyone is going to leave [Wales], I think just isn't true," Tompkins said.
Saracens centre Tompkins, 28, is back playing in the English Premiership after a brief loan spell with Dragons and has featured in 26 internationals for Wales.
He has previously spoken about his opposition to the 60-cap rule.
Welsh players who have at least 25 caps can now play club rugby outside their home nation and still be eligible for international selection, but Tompkins does not expect players to leave the four Welsh regions in droves.
"Frankly, look at Premiership rugby, two clubs have folded, there are a lot of players out there and there is not much cap room for anyone," he said.
"We've got to start looking at this as not trapping players, and more about let's make these regions the best place to be and let's make Wales the best place to be.
"I think that is what is being done and that is how it is being done. It is a very important point.
"I hope things get done now. There is a lot of respect going forward, and it is about keeping working together to make it a fair shake.
"We all want to see the game grow in Wales and we all want it to be better. It's not anyone against anyone."
On the field, Tompkins was left out of Warren Gatland's Six Nations squads against Ireland and Scotland before being used as a replacement against England.
Tompkins says it is vital that Wales respond when they head to Rome for a likely Six Nations Wooden Spoon decider against Italy.
Wales captain Ken Owens reacts to 10-20 defeat by England in Six Nations
Wales' penultimate game of this season's tournament will pitch together two teams with just one point between them so far.
While Italy have propped up the Six Nations table on 17 previous occasions, it is 20 years since Wales finished bottom of the pile.
But after defeats by Ireland, Scotland and England, their fate will effectively be sealed if they lose at Stadio Olimpico on 11 March.
Wales have scored only three tries in three games, while they have conceded 89 points, 12 touchdowns and 44 penalties, so alarm bells are ringing ahead of a trip to face a vastly-improved Italian side.
"It is important we come back with an answer - an emotional performance, but a controlled one," said Tompkins.
"It's important for this group to heal and be together in this time. We can't turn on each other, we have got to do this all together.
"We looked pretty good [against England] and then at times in the second half we let a couple of things slip and got caught in the kicking battle and didn't change it in our favour.
"There was a lot of fight from the lads, and especially this week it has been phenomenal how they've applied themselves.
"We have just got to keep building, pick ourselves up, just get better every day."
England were helped on their way by Wales' largely clueless tactical kicking, which proved meat and drink to full-back Freddie Steward, who had a field day collecting wasted possession.
Steward was majestic and richly deserved his player-of-the-match accolade, yet Wales were left kicking themselves for not mixing and matching their tactics in a game that was not decided until England centre Ollie Lawrence's 75th-minute try.
"Some of his catching was unbelievable, the way he controls the air is phenomenal," added Tompkins.
"We didn't change it, change how we were going to kick and not just kick it back to him, so we fell in that trip a little bit. That is something we will definitely be looking at."