YOU CAN DEAL ME IN: WHO ARE THE REGIONS KEEN TO LAND?

swer for Wales in midfield, it was always going to be the case that sooner or later he’d have to leave Saracens and come back to Wales.

The Scarlets were initially linked before Cardiff Blues became the front-runners.

The English club’s problems off the field only shortened the odds that Tompkins would be heading over the bridge – with the defending European and Premiership champions banished to the Championship for next season.

However, Tompkins’ current deal with Saracens is understood to run beyond 2022 and it seems the 25-year-old isn’t ready to leave the club permanently just yet.

And that’s where a season-long loan deal comes into the equation.

A move to the Dragons is expected to be announced in the next few days.

Having him at a region would suit Wayne Pivac, with the new Wales coach keen on getting exiles back playing in Wales – while he would be available for all training sessions and out-of-window matches.

But how much rugby the Rodney Parade region would see from him, given Test rugby could dominate the calendar when rugby returns, remains to be seen.

The Wales lock’s rise since making his debut in 2016 has been remarkable.

Less than two years after his first cap, he was captaining his country in the summer of 2018.

All of this was done while playing for the Dragons. However, it’s been announced that the 28-year-old will be leaving Rodney Parade ahead of next season.

His destination is all but confirmed, with a move to Cardiff Blues on the cards. Swapping Newport for Cardiff is unlikely to have any great effect on his Wales credentials, given his high stock in the national team at the moment.

A return to the region where he played academy rugby could see his game grow under new coaches and fresh challenges.

As for the Blues, they’ve been desperate for a quality lock for some time now. Hill certainly fits the bill.

It wasn’t all that long ago that Rhys Carre was saying his farewells to his team-mates in Cardiff, with a move to Saracens set to help the young prop round out his game and grow as a player.

However, his new club went through some high-profile issues in his first season there and it seems likely that Carre will be heading back to the Arms Park some time soon.

As with Hill, nothing is official yet, but the Blues have made a point of not announcing anything at the current time.

While Carre likely went to Saracens to learn from others and grow, a return to Wales certainly has its benefits. For starters, Carre will be available for all Wales squad sessions and out-of-window matches, enhancing his international prospects.

And whereas he was often on the periphery in London, you’d expect the eight-cap international to be a regular starter in Cardiff.