Biggar insisted he has no plans to follow his former Ospreys team-mates in stepping down before France 2023.

The fly-half said: "It is a huge blow for us... two incredibly talented players who have been great servants."

Jones, Biggar and Tipuric had all been named in Warren Gatland's 54-man training squad.

Biggar, 33, hopes to play in his third World Cup this autumn, although he has previously hinted he may quit Wales after the tournament to focus on his Toulon career.

"We will see now for the World Cup preparations and I am sure they will be looking on and laughing at us working hard in the training camps in Switzerland and Turkey," said Biggar.

"I spoke to Tips just before the announcement, he gave me the heads up to be fair because I played with him for a long time. I couldn't quite believe it.

"With Al, there had been a few rumours and bits and pieces [about his retirement]."

He added: "It is just another day in Welsh rugby."

Dan Biggar has hinted at international retirement to focus on playing for Toulon

Biggar was talking after his Toulon side comfortably defeated Glasgow 43-19 to lift the European Challenge Cup in Dublin on Friday.

The British and Irish Lions fly-half was forced off after just four minutes having failed a head injury assessment.

"I feel fine," said Biggar.

"It is just one of those things, especially in this day and age any sort of knock you have to come off but it will be fine.

"This was important for us tonight. It was huge for us as a club and the fans.

"We are fully aware we want to be competing for bigger honours but this club has never won this competition before and we have not won any silverware since 2015.

"It was important for us to win something and hopefully this is a good building block."