Welsh rugby: Gareth Anscombe and Dan Lydiate face uncertain Ospreys futures
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Gareth Anscombe and Dan Lydiate could be two high-profile casualties of budget cuts
Gareth Anscombe and Dan Lydiate face uncertain futures at Ospreys as the region looks to make major savings.
Both players are out of contract at the end of the season and Ospreys head coach Toby Booth was unable to confirm either would remain beyond the summer.
Anscombe, who turns 32 in May, has played just 16 games for the region over his four years due to injury.
While Lydiate, 35, has taken to social media to issue what amounted to a personal advert for a club to sign him.
A deal between the WRU and the regions has yet to be agreed but the four clubs have begun re-signing players after agreeing new standard form contracts with the Professional Rugby Board (PRB).
However Cardiff, Dragons, Ospreys and Scarlets are braced for significant budget cuts as well as vastly reduced squad sizes.
Wales fly-half Anscombe joined Ospreys from Cardiff in 2019 having just been named man of the match in the Grand Slam decider against Ireland.
However he has been beset by injuries having missed his first two years at the Liberty Stadium following a injury playing for Wales in pre-World Cup match in 2019.
Rib and shoulder injuries have limited his involvement this season to just two appearances for his club.
"I honestly don't know if he [Anscombe] will be an Osprey next season," Booth admitted.
"There are a number of signings that we've made already, particularly in the early-20s [age] bracket and we've prioritised there.
"The unfortunate thing is that injuries start to effect people long term, so you have to look at injury profile, availability, and the money that calibre of player demands.
"And I don't begrudge anyone to get the money they are worth because it's a very short career - and in fact I encourage it. But we have to make the pieces of the jigsaw fit."
Anscombe is back training and is a possible inclusion for Sunday's Heineken Champions Cup tie at Saracens.
Anscombe has played just twice this season for the Ospreys due to injuries
Booth added: "There's only so much money to go around and we're trying to use it accordingly. We're trying to keep the best players in Wales but that's a battle for sure.
"As the numbers go down you have to try and maintain your quality [but] it comes down to what you can fit and what people are prepared to pay for. Everyone's trying to find the balance."
Lydiate looks set to be another victim of the cull.
Following last weekend's victory over the Dragons he posted a message on social media asking any club "looking for a young up and coming 6 for next season with plenty life in him" to give him a call.
While the language may have been tongue-in-cheek, the sentiment was serious.
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Booth said on Lydiate potentially staying at the club: "You can never say never because things change.
"He's an Ospreys man through and through and we obviously want to keep Ospreys people in the building as much as we can.
"But, again, it comes down to the same conversations. Can we afford to do that and at what cost?
"If he's not with us, he's a guy I hope gets rugby employment somewhere because he's a top man and a top player."
Alun Wyn Jones appeared to signal his intention to retire at the end of the season when he applauded the Swansea crowd following the Ospreys victory over Dragons - their last home game of the season.
Stephen Myler has confirmed he will retire this summer while ex-Wales Under-20s centre Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler has signed for Japanese side Toyota Shokki Shuttles.