Warren Gatland has revealed that Neil Jenkins has been left baffled by Joe Hawkins' decision to leave Wales as the Wales coach also put more meat on the bones regarding Cory Hill's 'desperate' situation.
Both players won't feature at the World Cup later this year. Young centre Hawkins is captured by the 25-cap rule after opting to join Exeter Chiefs, while Hill decided to leave the squad last week to accept a contract offer in Japan.
Gatland was speaking on a wide-ranging interview on the Scrum V Podcast, in which he admitted that he wouldn't have returned as Wales coach had he known the full scale of issues facing Welsh rugby.
After a turbulent 12 months that has seen a sexism scandal, strike action floated and contract disputes amid financial uncertainty, the latest problem has been a handful of players withdrawing from Gatland's World Cup training squad before a ball has even been kicked.
Talismanic duo Alun Wyn Jones and Justin Tipuric both opted to retire from Test rugby, with Rhys Webb following suit after accepting a deal in France. For more rugby stories sent straight to your inbox sign up here.
Gatland said he "fully understands" Webb's decision, with the scrum-half being offered a multi-year deal in France compared to the one-year contract at the Ospreys.
After releasing Rhys Carre for not meeting individual performance targets, Gatland lost another player last week after second-row Hill left Wales camp. The Wales coach insists he had no other option after failing to find a deal back in Wales.
"Cory had finished his contract in Japan," said Gatland. "He came back, he wasn't being paid and he was desperate to find a region in Wales, but that didn't eventuate.
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"There was nothing in England or France and he's ended up going back to Japan to play for one of the teams in a lower division. He's got an eight-game season that starts in September. He's got a partner who is pregnant.
"When he made the decision to sign, he made it knowing there would be 40 or 50 players from London Irish on the market soon. He didn't have a choice.
"He is absolutely devastated that there wasn't something for him that he could be available for the World Cup. He should be finishing up around Christmas time and there might be something available for him that he can pick up and potentially be available for the Six Nations."
Despite losing five players since naming his 54-man training squad, it's one that he wasn't able to select that has disappointed Gatland.
Inside centre Hawkins had established himself in Gatland's side during the Six Nations, starting four of the five matches. However, having agreed to move to Exeter next season, he's found himself captured by the 25-cap rule and unavailable for selection.
It's a decision that the Wales coach, nor one of his coaching ticket, cannot fathom.
"The Joe Hawkins one is disappointing," he said. "I'm really disappointed that he's not available to us.
"For whatever reason, that decision was made, supposedly last year. I'm not 100 per cent sure that's the case, but that's the information we were given. There's been no real confirmation of that.
"But I was just really surprised that a 20-year-old would throw away the chance to be involved in international rugby, particularly a World Cup, which would have been huge for his development. He is a quality player.
"That's the one that really disappoints me. The others I can cope with because we've got depth in certain positions and people make those personal decisions for their families. The Joe one is the one I've struggled to understand some of the things around that. It is what it is.
"I don't dwell on it and look back. We've got some players in midfield, with some real depth there.
"Joe was a player that we were looking at for the future as a number 10. Having played there and been versatile. Neil Jenkins spoke to him and, typical Neil Jenkins, said: 'I just don't get it. Why are you giving away this chance? You've got a Lions tour in a couple of years that you could potentially be a part of.'
"That's the one that to me is the most disappointing. The other are personal and acceptable reasons."
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