Connacht have expressed their disappointment at Quinn Roux's decision to leave the club at the end of the season, but the Western province have wished the Ireland lock well in what will be a new chapter of his career.
Roux will end his seven-year stay with Connacht this summer and will thus also bring the curtain down on his Ireland career.
The 30-year-old won 16 caps for his adopted nation, where he has spent the last nine years, having first started at Leinster before moving to Connacht.
Roux turned down a new contract offer from Connacht and is understood to have attracted plenty of interest from overseas clubs, including France, where Toulon are thought to be the front-runners to sign the South African born lock.
Upon confirming Roux's imminent departure, Connacht have revealed that the search for a replacement second-row is already well underway.
Roux admitted that leaving Galway was a tough decision but he and his young family felt it was time for a fresh start.
“This has been a really tough few months as I made a decision on my future,” Roux said in a statement.
“There were a lot of factors at play, but most importantly I had to make a decision that was best for me and my wife Rentus and my daughter Rhemy. Rhemy is still very young and we feel the timing is right to go and experience something new as a family.
“I’ve been lucky to work with excellent coaches at Connacht and Ireland, and my thanks to them for all their guidance down the years, as well as the Connacht S&C, medical team and wider staff for their help.
“A special thank you to all the teammates I’ve played with at provincial and international level. I’ve made some life-long friends and it’s been nothing but a pleasure sharing a pitch and locker room with them. Having the opportunity to represent my adopted country is something I’ll always be grateful for.
“I’m also very thankful for the support from people close to me over the last few months. The players and people I work with closely fully understand and respect my decision which has made a hard decision somewhat easier.
“We’re really excited about the opportunities ahead, but it’ll also be tough leaving a place we’ve called home for the last seven years. The people of Connacht have been so welcoming and supportive, and I’d like to sincerely thank them for everything they’ve done for me.
“I will miss Galway, but we have a home here that we plan to return to and raise our children. I very much look forward to when that day comes.”
Connacht head coach Andy Friend admitted it was a blow to lose a player of Roux's calibre.
“It’s no secret we would have liked to see Quinn stay at the club beyond this season.
“We entered into discussions but unfortunately as matters progressed, we were unable to reach a final agreement with him that worked on both sides.
“As a result, Quinn has decided at this stage of his career to explore other opportunities and we fully respect his decision in that regard.
“Everyone at Connacht wishes him and his young family all the very best for the future, and to thank him for his many years of commitment to Connacht. He will always be welcome back to The Sportsground.
“We have already begun the process of recruiting a new second row and we will obviously make an announcement about that in due course.”