Christ Tshiunza will play no further part in this year's Six Nations after not travelling with the Wales squad to either Italy or France.
Having not been named in the squad to face Italy in Rome last Saturday, Tshiunza was released back to his club Exeter. Cardiff's Teddy Williams was also released back to the Arms Park side ahead of the trip, while uncapped centre Keiran Williams returned to the Ospreys having picked up an injury against Benetton.
WalesOnline understands Tshiunza has simply not made the cut for the matchday 23 again against France and so was not summoned to Nice, where the squad are training this week. It's believed Warren Gatland has previously been keen for him to concentrate on improving his carrying game, given his powerful physique.
With Wales travelling directly from Rome to France, where they will spend a week in Nice ahead of their final Six Nations fixture, Tshiunza and Williams' involvement against France was perhaps unlikely once omitted from the initial 33-man squad to head to Italy.
The reason for the 33-man squad - now reduced to 32 following injuries to Liam Williams and Scott Baldwin, and a call-up for Sam Parry - is to replicate the size of a squad during this year's World Cup. Gatland did something similar four years ago between the France and Italy matches of the 2019 Six Nations, taking his squad to Nice.
Part of the thinking for Tshiunza's absence would be the obligation to release him to his England-based employers once it is apparent he isn't involved in a Test match 23. If England-based players are not named in the matchday squad, then they are released to their clubs on a Tuesday.
So had Tshiunza, having not been involved against Italy, flown out to Nice to meet up with the squad on Sunday and then not been in the team to face France, he would have had to travel back to Exeter on Tuesday.
While Tshiunza did not feature for Exeter against Newcastle last weekend, it is likely he will be involved in their Premiership Cup final against London Irish this weekend.
Gatland has previously been vocal about the importance of players plying their trade in Wales to avoid the pitfalls of player release, with this training week in Nice a logistical nightmare in some regards because of it.
Still, given Tshiunza's potential, the idea of him not featuring in matchday squads against Italy and France seems peculiar as Wales look to blood young talent ahead of the World Cup.
Speaking about Tshiunza last week, Gatland hinted that, while happy with the progress Tshiunza had made, the fact he played in England had counted against him.
"We didn’t include Christ Tshiunza as we’re happy with his progression," he said last Thursday. "It’s sometimes hard when those players are going back to England and missing fallow weeks and the work we’re doing."
One point of confusion would be Nick Tompkins' presence in Rome and Nice despite not being involved in the matchday squad against Italy. However, Saracens didn't have a fixture outside of a friendly against the Scarlets last week.
On Tuesday, Wales attack coach Alex King was unable to offer any explicit reason why Tshiunza was not in France, but it is understood he is not injured.
Gatland will likely offer more insight into the matter later in the week.
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