Wallabies fly-half Noah Lolesio is set to take up an offer in Japanese rugby, potentially putting his hopes of facing the British & Irish Lions at risk.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Lolesio will take up an offer with an undisclosed Japanese club for 2026, with an option to extend for a further season thereafter.
Brumbies boss Phil Thomson confirmed Lolesio would depart the franchise at season's end.
"We've been advised by Noah that he's taking up an offer overseas in 2026, we wish him all the best in the next stage of his rugby career and thank for him for his contribution to the Brumbies," Thomson said.
Lolesio has already played overseas once before, the playmaker taking up a "Rugby World Cup joker" deal with Toulon as injury cover after he played no part in then-Wallabies coach Eddie Jones' 2023 campaign.
But he returned a far more stoutly player thereafter, and fast became Joe Schmidt's first-choice playmaker last season, starting all but two of the Wallabies' 13 Tests in the No. 10 jersey.
Lolesio has made a steady start to Super Rugby Pacific this season, after missing a run of games following a head knock against the Fijian Drua in Round 1.
Meanwhile, both Queensland Reds young gun Tom Lynagh and Western Force five-eighth Ben Donaldson have impressed in the No. 10 jersey. They are kicking at 87% and 84.4% respectively, compared with Lolesio's 62.5% success rate.
Schmidt last year signalled his intent was to pick players who had committed their future to Australian rugby, while back-rower Langi Gleeson was uninvited from the Wallabies' January camp after telling Rugby Australia he would take up an offer with French club Montpellier.
Lolesio could find himself subjected to the same treatment, though Gleeson told Stan Sport on Thursday that Schmidt had since clarified his position and relayed several "work-ons" that would help him get back into Test contention.
With Schmidt set to depart the Wallabies after the Rugby Championship later this year, it may be that he is solely focused on winning - the British & Irish Lions series in particular - rather than trying to shore up Australian rugby's talent retention.
Brumbies lock Tom Hooper is another player heading offshore, to English club Exeter, with teammate Len Ikitau also strongly linked with a switch to the former Premiership champions.
Lolesio made his Test debut under Dave Rennie in 2020, before enduring a frustrating selection roller coaster when he found himself in and out of the team over the next three seasons.
But Schmidt decided to back Lolesio in 2024 and the former Australia Under 20s star began to feel comfortable with the responsibility of leading the Wallabies around.
The Brumbies have the bye in Round 8 of Super Rugby Pacific, having only narrowly held off the Highlanders in Canberra last weekend.