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The recent controversy of Rodrigo Capó Ortega pulling out of playing for his native Uruguay in the Rugby World Cup has seen French club Castres criticized by members of the press. Calls of the Top 14 harming the global game and for the club to be punished were made on social media but the player in question has confirmed the true motives behind his absence from England and Wales 2015.
Now aged 34 Capó Ortega has been playing for Castres since 2002 and has made more than 200 appearances in the Top 14. The club, though, has not blocked him from playing in the World Cup and nor has it offered him a higher salary to miss the World Cup.
Also circulating on social media was that Capó Ortega had problems with Uruguayan team management. Neither theory is in fact true with the 2013 Top 14 champion instead having made the decision to miss the World Cup to stay with his pregnant wife for the birth of his child.
The reasons behind Capó Ortega’s non-involvement have been confirmed both by the player and manager Christophe Urios. It should be clarified that Castres released Capó Ortega for international duty to face Russia outside of the World Rugby release window (under regulation 9) and was happy to have their long-time servant playing for Uruguay in the World Cup.
