Today's rugby news as Wales international set for release despite taking team to stunning league title win

Here are the latest rugby headlines on Monday, May 30.

Former Wales star Hadleigh Parkes is set to bid farewell to his Japanese team despite helping them win the inaugural Japan Rugby League One title at the weekend.

Parkes, 34, started in the Wild Knights' 18-12 victory over Suntory Sungoliath in sweltering conditions at Japan’s National Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday. It adds to the evidence pile of Parkes being an unqualified success in Japan, helping to extend the Wild Knights’ run of wins to 32 when Covid-induced cancellations are not taken into account. He has gone unbeaten for two seasons in the country.

But it seems that despite being such a pivotal part of his team, Parkes is set to see his time with Wild Knights come to an end, with the club strongly rumoured to have lined up Damian de Allende as a replacement at centre, with the South African poised to return to the club he played for before joining Munster in 2020.

Parkes looks likely to continue playing in Japan or head home to New Zealand to play in the National Provincial Championship, although a move back to Wales could not be totally ruled out.

A record number of players will find themselves out of work at the end of this Gallagher Premiership season, according to a report by the Daily Mail.

The report cites that players are feeling the sharp end of English rugby's salary cap cuts as well as the cost of living crisis, meaning they are either facing unemployment or are on the search for new careers from next season. Clubs are having to cut millions of pounds off their wage bill to come under the new £5million cap which is being implemented. As things stand, there will be 70 players out of work next season, as opposed to 50 at the end of last year.

"The