Top 14 clubs in tug-of-war over Lions and Wales lock Adam Beard

Lyon have approached Top 14 rivals Montpellier and enquired about the availability of their Wales and Lions international lock Adam Beard, who still has another two years left to run on his contract.

Swansea-born Beard, 30, who has been capped 68 times by his contract only arrived in Montpellier on a three-year contract last summer after spending 11 years with the Ospreys.

He has made 20 appearances for the club this season, including coming off the replacements bench during their Challenge Cup final victory against Ulster in Bilbao two weeks ago.

But he faces stiff competition for places at the Septeo Stadium, from the likes of Florian Verhaeghe, Bastien Chalureau, and Tyler Duguid, which will only increase when Ruben Van Heerden arrives from the Stormers this summer.

And, according to Midi Olympique, Lyon, who are losing Killian Geraci to Bayonne when his contract runs out at the end of the season, are in the market for a lock and Beard, who made his Lions test debut against the Springboks five years ago, fits the profile of what they want.

They are keen on Beard, who made 135 appearances for his hometown club before crossing the channel, and are having talks in a bid to agree a deal for a move at the end of the season.

Beard told the press agency AFP earlier in the season that moving to France was a tough decision, but after speaking to his wife, netball international Chelsea, he wanted to experience something different

“It was a tough decision, and something that I had long conversations about with my wife, family, friends, and even people in the rugby circles. I’m 29 now, and there’s less years ahead, so I wanted to experience something different.

“I obviously heard great things about Montpellier as a city, as a club, and just playing in the Top 14. I believe it’s the best league in the world, and it is international-standard matches week in, week out, and I feel at my age that can only be beneficial for myself.”