Adam Ashley-Cooper was a key player as the Waratahs finally won the Super Rugby title © Getty Images

Enlarge

Adam Ashley-Cooper has no regrets as he prepares for his final season in Australian rugby; he happily admits it is finally time for him to move on, acknowledging that 10 years is a long time in Super Rugby.

Ashley-Cooper commenced his illustrious Super Rugby career with the Brumbies 10 years ago, named on the wing against the Crusaders, and he did enough in two more matches to earn his first Test cap from the bench against the Springboks in Perth later that year. He has subsequently become a household name in Australian rugby having nailed down a regular berth in the Wallabies XV in 2007.

Adam Ashley-Cooper sports his new Bordeaux-Begles colours © Twitter

Enlarge

"It's very much time to go for me," Ashley-Cooper told ESPN of his decision to join Bordeaux-Begles after the Rugby World Cup. "It was pretty much timing for me more than anything. I think, you know, this will be my third World Cup, I finally got the Super Rugby trophy under my belt and, you know, this will be my 12th year of professional rugby so it was more than time to go."

After experiencing the highs of winning the Waratahs' first Super Rugby title and the lows of the Wallabies' worst ever November tour of Europe, Ashley-Cooper says the inconsistency of 2014 had no influence on his decision to head to Bordeaux. "Yeah, I guess the disappointment of the inconsistency of the Wallabies was easily put to bed," he told ESPN. "I think [moving to Bordeaux] is just a fantastic opportunity for me to experience something new; experience a new lifestyle, a new culture and do what I love doing in a different country - in France."

But Ashley-Cooper readily admits that good friends and former team-mates Drew Mitchell and Matt Giteau made his decision to leave Australia that little bit easier. "The snapchats I was getting from those two blokes certainly makes it look like they're enjoying themselves and made my decision a little bit easier, but they were a little bit disappointed that I wasn't coming to Toulon. But you know, it's only a half-hour flight or train ride away."

Signing for Bordeaux at the end of 2014, Ashley-Cooper has since been joined on the trans-Tasman transfer list by Wallabies team-mates Nic White, James Horwill, Scott Higginbotham and Sekope Kepu - with several more off contract at the end of the year.

"I think it's just where a lot of players are at in Australian rugby at the moment, and I just think they're at that age and they've been here enough and they've got the opportunity to go overseas," Ashley-Cooper said of the player exodus. "But unfortunately for Australian rugby there are a lot of guys off contract, so it would be interesting to see if there will be any more players to leave."

.@BrittMitchell11 hard at work for @espnscrum - talking @NSWWaratahs with @AdamCoopy pic.twitter.com/NkghxP4cL5

— Sam Bruce (@Sambruce86) January 22, 2015

Also off contract at the end of 2015, Waratahs and Wallabies team-mate Bernard Foley will be in the sights of clubs in Europe and Japan; Foley told ESPN that he would definitely like to look into heading overseas in the future.

"Sure, it's always an interest," Foley said. "That's the beauty of rugby union, that we've got the ability and it's available for us to go over there and explore the world because it's a global game. And that's the exciting thing for everyone. [It's] each to their own, a horses-for-courses approach, that guys are using that opportunity; it's definitely something that I would like to do in the future. But it also provides an opportunity for young blokes who are coming through in Australian rugby; it's all they can ask for, [but] I'm sure those voids will be filled by emerging young talent."

High-profile Waratahs and Wallabies stars Israel Folau and Kurtley Beale are also off contract after the World Cup, prompting once again the question of sabbaticals in Australian rugby; Ashley-Cooper believes the Australian Rugby Union may have to consider further action to address the situation.

"I think it certainly needs to be addressed with probably a little bit more consideration - and I know they're doing it at the moment - but if there are any more players to leave they'll certainly have to address it again," Ashley-Cooper told ESPN.

"You know potentially losing the likes of Israel Folau, Kurtley Beale and players with such talent and such significance - not only to the support base of Australian rugby but just out on the field as well - to lose those guys would be really damaging to the game; it wouldn't be good for the game. So I think it does definitely need to be addressed, so we're keeping all the best talent in Australia - especially for people at such a young age."