Warren Gatland believes he has been subjected to "unfair" criticism over the Rhys Webb saga that is currently dominating Welsh rugby.
Wales head coach Gatland has named the Ospreys scrum-half in a 36-man squad for this season's autumn Tests that begin against Australia on November 11.
Webb, though, will be ineligible to represent Wales when he joins French heavyweights Toulon next term - a move which potentially also rules him out of 2019 World Cup contention.
A change to the Welsh Rugby Union's senior player selection policy, which was announced last week, prevents players who sign new deals that take effect from next term onwards and ply their trade outside Wales from representing their country unless they have won 60 caps or more.
Star performer Webb is considerably under that 60-cap mark, and he looks set to be the highest-profile casualty of a new system agreed between the Welsh Rugby Union and Wales' four professional regions - Ospreys, Dragons, Scarlets and Cardiff Blues.
Asked if Webb, who is understood to have agreed a Toulon deal worth around £550,000 a year, was a scapegoat in the whole affair, Gatland said: "I can't comment on that.
Rhys Webb has been a key performer for Wales (David Davies/PA)
"You need to talk to the power-brokers involved, and you need to talk to Mark Davies (chief executive) at Pro Rugby Wales and the regions.
"There was a lot of criticism of myself over this, and I felt that was unfair.
"The policy we have is better (than the previous wild-card-based one), and I feel for Rhys in that he is not going to be available for the World Cup. We had a good chat about that when we met up last Saturday.
Reflecting further on the new system. Gatland added: "I was consulted on it (change of policy). I wasn't involved in the process.
"I got pushed out there from a media perspective on the Monday, and it was almost like it was my policy.
"We haven't heard one word from the regions at the moment about their involvement in that, and I would like to hear from them.
"This policy has been agreed by the two parties (regions and WRU) and I was involved in discussions four years ago when the Rugby Services Agreement came about.
"At the time, the regions were pushing for the rule (that) no player outside of Wales should be selected. I didn't think that was right.
"It's not ideal with Rhys Webb, and I feel for him, but the policy we have now is better than the past.
"Rhys knew that going to Toulon he was potentially jeopardising his international career under the old policy (non Wales-based players had to rely on less than a handful of wild-card picks available to Gatland).
"There was light at the end of the tunnel because if he played well enough we could still select him as one of the two wild-cards (available for the 2019 World Cup season). If you look at those who could have missed out... I feel for Rhys."