British and Irish Lions prop Gethin Jenkins will become the latest Wales international to join the money-spinning French league after announcing Tuesday he is moving to a Top 14 club for next season.

Jenkins, one of the world’s leading props, was reported in the British media to have agreed a two-year deal with big-spending Toulon, whose squad already includes former England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson and Australian utility back Matt Giteau.

Jenkins currently plays for Cardiff Blues but will join Wales team-mates Mike Phillips, James Hook and Lee Byrne in France, where the salary cap for clubs is much higher.

“It will be time for me to have a fresh start and a new challenge,” said Jenkins, who has played 84 times for Wales and was picked in the team to face England in the Six Nations on Saturday.

Jenkins will still be eligible to play for Wales, although the Welsh Rugby Union prefers national-team players to compete for domestic clubs.

“It is difficult to compete with the money the players are being offered overseas,” Wales coach Warren Gatland said. “I don’t know what the answer is. My stance has always been ideally we would love them to stay here, and we will do everything we can to try to keep them here, but players have a very short career in terms of playing at this level.”