Uruguay coach mystified by Rodrigo Capo Ortega absence ahead of Rugby World Cup

Uruguay coach Pablo Lemoine tells me he has had "no explanation" from star player Rodrigo Capo Ortega about his sudden withdrawal from the national side's squad.

Ortega, 34, pictured below in action for French top-tier side Castres, is Uruguay's longest-serving international and one of its few professionals.

View image | gettyimages.com

Three weeks ago it emerged that the veteran lock had abruptly retired from international rugby, prompting speculation that his Top 14 employers might have requested him to miss the World Cup in order to avoid the risk of picking up an injury.

With his experience in top-flight professional rugby, Ortega had been viewed as a key figure in Uruguay’s campaign in the ‘Group of Death’ against England, Wales, Australia and Fiji.

But now it looks certain that Pool A’s amateur side will be without him – and head coach Lemoine, speaking to me earlier this month, said he was unclear about  the reasons for the withdrawal.

Lemoine, who became national coach in 2012 having previously won 49 caps, said of his former team-mate’s absence: "There's no explanation. Probably he has some reason, but I don't know.

"I haven't spoken to the player because he made the decision by himself.

"Really, I'm just focused on the players who want to play for our country.”

Castres have been quoted as saying that Ortega won't play for Uruguay due to "personal reasons".

Asked whether Castres might have applied some pressure to their long-serving second-rower, Lemoine said: "I'm not sure about that. I can say nothing.”

The Uruguayan Rugby Union said in a statement on July 1 that Ortega will not play for "family reasons" and in France the insinuations that his employers have leant on him have been rejected on social media.

Non, le #Castres Olympique n'a pas privé Capo-Ortega de Coupe du ... http://t.co/7jiW5YXFTt

— Francoeur Anabelle (@anabelle444) July 3, 2015

Uruguay will play two warm-up matches in Japan before opening their World Cup campaign against Wales at the Millennium Stadium.

Kooga are the official kit partner to Uruguay for the 2015 Rugby World Cup

A version of this article first appeared in The Rugby Paper

Jerry Collins: a tribute from fellow All Black legend Sean Fitzpatrick

Jerry Collins' untimely death along with his wife in a car accident in France has left the world of rugby - and beyond - shocked.

There's nothing like a sporting superstar who keeps his boots on the ground - and All Black great Collins did just that, as this wonderful tale of his involvement with Barnstaple 2nd XV conveys.

In the interview below another New Zealand great, Sean Fitzpatrick, reflects on Collins' life:

listen to ‘Fitzpatrick saddened to lose 'great' Collins’ on audioBoom

Rugby season ends on a downer in the West Country - Bristol, Bath and Gloucester all lose

Rather like the Liberal Democrats' recent tonking in the West Country, rugby in these parts has just taken a pasting.

First Bristol failed - again - to negotiate the Championship play-offs, then Bath were out-muscled at Twickers by a Sarries side that delivered a masterclass in negating Bath's much-vaunted handling game.

Then Gloucester were pipped by a point by Bordeaux-Begles in the final play-off for next season's European Champions Cup.

Actually, I think the result was a blessing in disguise for the Cherry and Whites, although it won't feel like that at the moment. Next season, Gloucester just need to focus on delivering in the Premiership, and the club doesn't have the depth at present to compete on two major fronts.

Any blessings in disguise for Bath or Bristol?

Nope.

Bristol face another 12 months trekking to such rugby outposts as Doncaster and Ealing, while Bath have been given something to ponder by a side that only finished fourth in the regular season.

European Champions Cup - build up to the semi-finals

Live Blog European Champions Cup - semi-finals build-up

First Steffon Armitage, now Nick Abendanon... England boss Stuart Lancaster's exceptionally tricky World Cup problem

If an overseas-based player consistently delivers 'exceptional' performances, does that mean that England head coach Stuart Lancaster should pick him?

Since 2011, the RFU's stated policy on Englishmen plying their trade abroad is that they should only be selected for the national side in "exceptional circumstances".

And so far under Lancaster's reign, circumstances haven't been deemed sufficiently exceptional in order for the clause to the invoked. Although there have been plenty of raised eyebrows along the way.

But what exactly does "exceptional circumstances" mean?

An exceptional run of injuries at home? An exceptional loss of form by home-based players? Or exceptional form by overseas players?

The term is vague - and probably deliberately so, meaning that the RFU has some wiggle room.

The rampaging form of Toulon loose forward Delon Armitage has been testing the meaning of the term for some time. And now we have Nick Abendanon, who has been playing out of his skin for Clermont Auvergne since leaving Bath over the summer.

This blog is a long-standing champion of Abendanon's. And for all those who are suddenly making a big song and dance about him this week in the wake of a stunning performance against Northampton in the Champions Cup on Saturday, I humbly point you in the direction of this post and interview I did with him in February.

Tellingly, Abendanon has picked up three man-of-the-match awards against English teams on the biggest stage in European club rugby this season. He is performing on the big stage. And he is stating a pretty irresistible - sorry, exceptional - case to be called up for the biggest stage of them all: the Rugby World Cup.

For me, it's simple. In a World Cup year of all years, you absolutely have to have your in-form players playing for your country, whether they are playing their club rugby in England, France, Georgia or Venus. To fail to do that - particularly for a Cup on home soil - is daft at best, and a national betrayal at worst.

If Lancaster's still in any doubt, then here's a little clip that hopefully clinches the deal:

Mike Catt: England backs still have a lot to learn

England backs coach Mike Catt looks ahead to this weekend's 6 Nations showdown at Twickenham between England and France. Catt's in conversation with Russ Hargreaves of Talking Rugby.

listen to ‘Mike Catt on tackling Les Blues at Twickenham’ on audioBoom

6 Nations 2015 poll - who'll take the championship?

Four teams are still in with a shout of winning this year's 6 Nations. Ireland, Wales and England are all tied on six points going into Saturday's final round of matches, while France could sneak it if they beat England convincingly and both Wales and Ireland lose.

Register your view in the poll below, powered by Apester.