The 2026-27 United Rugby Championship welcomed plenty of world-class talent during the transfer window, but the league also said goodbye to some of its biggest stars.
As clubs across Europe and Japan continued investing heavily, several established internationals departed the URC for France's Top 14, England's Gallagher PREM and Japan Rugby League One. Some moves were expected as veterans sought new opportunities late in their careers, while others removed cornerstone players from clubs with championship ambitions.
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The departures will undoubtedly reshape the title race. Leinster Rugby must replace its all-time leading try scorer, Glasgow Warriors lost two of Scotland's most influential internationals, and the Vodacom Bulls saw one of the world's most dangerous finishers head overseas. Welsh rugby also continued to lose elite talent during a pivotal period as the Welsh Rugby Union prepares to reduce its professional game from four clubs to three beginning in 2028.
Here are the biggest players leaving the United Rugby Championship ahead of the 2026-27 season.
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James Lowe — Leinster Rugby To Tokyo Suntory Sungoliath
No departure is bigger than James Lowe.
The Ireland international leaves Leinster as the province's all-time leading try scorer after helping the club win six URC titles and an Investec Champions Cup. His move to Japan Rugby League One also likely closes the book on his Ireland career ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Kurt-Lee Arendse — Vodacom Bulls To Mitsubishi Sagamihara DynaBoars
One of rugby's most electrifying finishers is heading to Japan.
Arendse has been a centerpiece of the Bulls' attack for several seasons, and replacing his pace and try-scoring ability will be one of Pretoria's biggest challenges this year.
Huw Jones — Glasgow Warriors To Toulon
Glasgow loses one of Scotland's premier attacking threats.
Jones departs for France's Top 14 after helping establish the Warriors as one of the URC's top clubs. His creativity and finishing ability will be difficult to replace.
Jac Morgan — Ospreys To Gloucester
The loss of Jac Morgan extends beyond the Ospreys.
Widely regarded as one of Wales' best players, Morgan leaves during a period of significant change for Welsh professional rugby. His departure is another reminder of the financial challenges facing the Welsh regions.
Jack Dempsey — Glasgow Warriors To Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo
Glasgow's back row also takes a major hit.
Dempsey brought physicality, leadership and international experience to Scotstoun, making him one of the Warriors' most important forwards during recent seasons.
Aaron Wainwright — Dragons RFC To Leicester Tigers
For years, Aaron Wainwright has been one of the faces of the Dragons.
His move to Leicester Tigers removes one of Wales' most experienced back-rowers and leaves another leadership void in Newport.
Adam Hastings — Glasgow Warriors To Montpellier
The Warriors' offseason losses continue with Hastings.
The Scotland fly-half heads to France after years directing Glasgow's attack, leaving Franco Smith with another significant hole to fill in his backline.
David Kriel — Vodacom Bulls To La Rochelle
One of South Africa's emerging midfield stars is Top 14-bound.
Kriel developed into a key piece of the Bulls' backline, making his departure to La Rochelle another significant blow for Pretoria.
Thomas Gallo — Benetton Rugby To Lyon
Benetton loses one of its most reliable internationals.
The Argentina prop heads to Lyon after helping anchor the Treviso scrum, continuing the trend of Top 14 clubs recruiting proven URC forwards.
Salmaan Moerat — DHL Stormers To Bath Rugby
The Stormers offset several marquee signings by losing one of their experienced locks.
Moerat's departure to Bath removes leadership and international experience from the Cape Town pack, although the arrivals of Siya Kolisi, Cheslin Kolbe and Wilco Louw have softened the impact.
Japan And France Continue To Recruit The URC's Best
The offseason once again demonstrated the global demand for URC talent.
Japan Rugby League One landed stars such as James Lowe, Kurt-Lee Arendse and Jack Dempsey, while France's Top 14 added proven internationals including Huw Jones, Adam Hastings, David Kriel and Thomas Gallo.
Although the United Rugby Championship welcomed several elite players during the transfer window, replacing this level of experience and production won't be easy. How clubs respond to these departures may ultimately determine who challenges Leinster for the title in 2026-27.
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