Shock move sees ex-Wales star Owen Williams set for French third division

Stade Niçois may be relegated from the French Pro D2, but the Côte d’Azur side isn’t slowing down when it comes to signings for next season, with the Ospreys’ Owen Williams set to join the club.

The six-cap Wales international will leave the Ospreys in June, marking his fifth stint abroad. Williams has previously played for English Premiership clubs Leicester Tigers, Gloucester, and Worcester, as well as a short spell in Japan with the NTT Docomo Red Hurricanes.

The utility back began his professional career with the Scarlets before moving to England, spending nearly seven years in the Premiership. He made his Test debut in 2017, starting at centre against Australia and New Zealand during the Autumn Internationals.

The Famous Grouse Spirit of Rugby

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The Famous Grouse Spirit of Rugby

Williams returned to Welsh rugby in 2022 when he signed with the Ospreys, nearly a decade after his final appearance for the Scarlets. Over the past three seasons, he made 27 starts in the United Rugby Championship, but his time in Wales has now come to an end.

Williams becomes Nice’s fourth signing for next season, joining Spanish scrum-half Guillaume Rouet, Romanian centre Atila Septar, and Fijian legend Waisea Nayacalevu. More arrivals are expected to be announced in the coming months.

Stade Niçois has been targeting high-profile players since the arrival of Jean-Baptiste Aldigé, the former Biarritz Olympique chairman. Aldigé led Biarritz from 2018 to 2024 but left the club in serious financial trouble, eventually selling it for €1 to a consortium led by Shaun Hegarty, Flip Van Der Merwe, and Marc Baget.

Stade Niçois currently sits in last place and will almost certainly be relegated to the Nationale (third division) for the 2025/2026 season. However, Aldigé is already focused on securing promotion back to the Pro D2.