Wainright is poised to join Leicester Tigers, having agreed terms over the festive period in another major blow to the status of the Welsh domestic game.
The back row forward has been one of Wales' most consistent performers during the last two years of repeated failures but his exit will follow the recent decisions of Ospreys pair Jac Morgan and Dewi Lake to link up with Gloucester ahead of the 2026-27 season.
All these moves come against a backdrop of ongoing chaos, anxiety and sheer weariness at the mismanagment of the sport in Wales by the Welsh Rugby Union.
Instead of creating at atmosphere of excitement and unity within the regional game, the WRU's decision to cut the number of teams from four to three with no process for getting there has alienated the leading players.
Most have lost any faith they held in the WRU and more are looking to quit Wales in the wake of the 13 players in the current national squad who already play elsewhere.
Wainwright, Lake and Morgan will join Dafydd Jenkins, Louis Rees-Zammit, Tomos Williams, Rhys Carre, Nicky Smith, Nick Tompkins, Jarrod Evans, Max Llewellyn and Freddie Thomas, who all play for English clubs, while Adam Beard is at French side Montpellier.
So far in the past 12 months, the WRU has told the leading players a number of different things that at best has sown confusion and at worst, utter contempt.
First the WRU said they were determined to stick with four teams. They changed that stance to four teams but with unequal funding.
Soon after they announced they wanted only two teams.
Then, they revised that figure to three and told the existing four to sort it out amongst themselves.
As a footnote, they added that the regions' owners would have no control over rugby matters as the WRU held more expertise in that area.
It now appears that some players do not share that view.
The Wainwright blow comes after Filo Tiatia hailed a clear step forward from his Dragons side after they launched 2026 in emphatic fashion with a 28-5 derby victory over the Scarlets.
It was another notable victory for the previously wheezing Dragons - one that lifted them up to 10th in the United Rugby Championship and extended their growing revival.
The Newport outfit, who endured a torrid 2024-25 campaign anchored to the foot of the table, made it three successive home wins at Rodney Parade as they brushed aside a Scarlets team now marooned at the bottom.
For the Scarlets, this was another devastating setback after their Boxing Day defeat at home to the Ospreys.
At the very time they wanted to show strength and staying power, in response to the threats to their survival, instead they appear weak and vulnerable.
A dominant second-half display turned a scrappy contest into a comprehensive triumph and underlined the Dragons’ momentum after their Boxing Day setback against Cardiff.
“We are happy with the outcome. I said at half-time that we were still in gear three because we hadn't taken the opportunities we had been given,” said head coach Tiatia.
“I wouldn't say it was an easy win – it was touch and go in the first half – but I was really happy that we were better in areas we were targeting after losing to Cardiff.”
READ MORE: Dragons Finally Find Fire to Give Cardiff Some Heat Ahead of Boxing Day Derby
The opening period offered little in the way of fluency as both sides opted for caution, with territory and discipline taking precedence over ambition.
Dragons edged in front early when fly-half Tinus de Beer crossed in the eighth minute, Angus O’Brien converting to give the hosts a 7-0 lead.
The Scarlets responded after sustained pressure of their own, winger Ellis Mee wriggling over after 34 minutes, though the missed conversion meant Dragons carried a narrow 7-5 advantage into the break.
Any hopes of a Scarlets comeback unravelled almost immediately after the restart.
READ MORE: From Dire Year to Dyer-Inspired Victory . . . the Dragons May Finally be Stirring
Lock Max Douglas was initially shown a yellow card for head contact at a ruck, before it was upgraded to a 20-minute red following review.
The Dragons wasted little time exploiting the numerical advantage.
Hooker Oli Burrows powered over from close range to extend the lead, before winger Dai Richards — referred to as David Richards on the teamsheet — finished smartly out wide following sharp handling.
READ MORE: Dragons Finally Win a Game As Welsh Regions Prove They Still Have a Pulse in Europe
With O’Brien again accurate from the tee, the hosts surged into a commanding 21-5 lead.
The bonus point was secured late on when replacement hooker George Roberts crashed over in the 75th minute from a well-orchestrated line-out drive, putting the gloss on a performance that underlined Dragons’ growing cohesion and physical edge.
The Scarlets, who reached the play-offs last season, were left to reflect on another chastening festive defeat following their loss to Ospreys, and now prop up the URC table with searching questions to answer.
Head coach Dwayne Peel did not shy away from his frustration as he assessed a difficult period for his side.
“We've had a disappointing week with two derby losses,” said Peel.
“We had some high-profile games with Bristol and Bordeaux-Begles then backed that up in Cardiff, but we have fallen off in the last two weeks.
“We've picked up a few injuries but there are no excuses, we weren't at our best today and had enough on the field to produce some good stuff.”
For the Dragons, the contrast with last season’s struggles could hardly be sharper.
Their latest display combined patience, discipline and ruthless efficiency, particularly after half-time, and reinforced Tiatia’s belief that lessons are being learned.
As the Scarlets headed back west still searching for answers, the Dragons can take confidence that their resurgence is built on substance — and that Rodney Parade is once again becoming a venue opponents are wary of visiting.
