James Lowe shares emotional statement after shock Japan move

This comes as a shock!

Lowe's contract expires at the end of the season with Leinster, and after a breakdown of negotiations he will leave Irish rugby.

The 33-year-old will sign a two-year deal with the Toyko club, replacing Cheslin Kolbe.

It has been reported that Lowe is unhappy with how things ended with Leinster and had hoped to stay on to compete with Ireland in the 2027 World Cup.

Last November, Lowe described the World Cup as his, "north star" and "something you really want to get to."

Despite being a pivotal figure in Irish rugby, the 33-year-old was never offered a central contract by the IRFU, meaning he has always remained under Leinster's provincial contract.

The union is understood to have contributed to his Leinster contract with a PONI (player of national interest) top-up.

However, it is believed that the contribution was significantly lower this time around.

This left Leinster in complete control over his signature terms and in the end Lowe was offered a lower salary, something that the New Zealand-born man didn't feel reflected his quality.

As a result, contract talks broke down, which is seen as a quite a disappointment to Ireland's head coach Andy Farrell.

James Lowe has released an emotional statement, thanking Ireland and Leinster and admitting regret at how things ended. (You can read it below).