Thomas has been absent from his club after a family bereavement

Thomas sent a medical note from his doctor to Toulouse saying he required time off after a family bereavement.

Toulouse want Thomas, 32, available for their season finale, but Wales are adamant they have first call on him.

"It's in the hands of the FFR (French Rugby Federation) and the Welsh Rugby Union," Thomas said.

News conference: Gareth Thomas

"I want to go and captain my country... it's in the hands of politics.

"I'm just a player and I'll do what I need to do and if the rules say that I must be released to go then I'll go."

Thomas is in his final season with Toulouse and has already agreed a two-year deal to return to Wales to play for Cardiff Blues next season.

"Of course I have sympathy for Toulouse, it's a great club, they've been great to me and I've had three great years," Thomas added.

Gareth is still under his current contract until the end of the Top 14 season Toulouse president Rene Bouscatel

"Since the time I went there it's been like a club versus country thing.

"But they've shown a lot of commitment in the fact that they've let me come back to play for Wales on many occasions.

"I've been back (in Wales) for a bereavement and haven't been out in Toulouse for two weeks."

Wales are confident Toulouse must release Thomas for international duty.

"This tour is IRB-sanctioned and approved, and under the regulations he has to be released," said WRU group chief executive Roger Lewis.

"I don't see there being a problem. We are waiting for Toulouse to respond."

The French club, currently second in the French Championship, are keen to have Thomas available for the end of season play-offs in June.

Toulouse president Rene Bouscatel told L'Equipe that negotiations are still ongoing.

"Gareth has the option of staying another year with us which is still open to him, but he is still under his current contract until the end of the Top 14 season," Bouscatel said.

"He hasn't trained for 12 days on medical grounds... we're waiting for Gareth to come back to Toulouse to see how he is.

"At that stage, I'm sure he'll honour his contract with us."

Thomas has been picked to retake the captain's armband on the Wales tour, with coach Gareth Jenkins leaving behind 16 senior players including current skipper Stephen Jones.

The tourists face Australia in the first Test at the Telstra Stadium in Sydney on 26 May - the same day Toulouse play their final French Championship match away at Bourgoin.

The second Test will take place the following week on 2 June at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium.