Rugby Union: New Wales Coach in Place Before Argentina Trip

Wales will start interviewing candidates to succeed the head coach Mike Ruddock next week, anxious to make the appointment before the national squad gathers on May 12 for a week's training session to prepare for the summer tour to Argentina.

The Welsh Rugby Union has set up a five-man panel to conduct the interviews, but in a twist to normal procedure, the union's board of directors has insisted on being given two names to consider, rather than voting on the panel's recommendation. That is why the most popular candidate at grassroots level, the Llanelli Scarlets director of rugby Gareth Jenkins, decided last week to submit his application.

He was overlooked two years ago when Ruddock was appointed even though he did not apply for the job after Jenkins and the Harlequins chief executive Mark Evans had given final interviews. The elected directors have been criticised by clubs in recent months for not acting as a brake on the executive, who want the Leeds director of rugby Phil Davies to succeed Ruddock, and they are belatedly exerting their authority after the clubs called an EGM to consider a vote of no confidence in them.

Davies is likely to be the panel's recommended candidate with Jenkins the second name, leaving the directors to make the decision. The Ospreys' head coach Lyn Jones and the Wales defence coach Clive Griffiths, the only member of the coaching team which started the season still in place after his contract was extended to take in the Argentina tour, are believed to be on the shortlist. The potential overseas contenders Warren Gatland, Robbie Deans, John Mitchell and John Kirwan have ruled themselves out.

Davies, who in 10 years at Headingley has taken Leeds from the lower divisions to the Premiership, was interviewed in Birmingham two weeks ago. It is understood that a contract was drawn up for him before the intervention of the board of directors gave Jenkins a late run for the position.

Two of the five-man panel, the WRU chief executive Steve Lewis and the chairman David Pickering, were cited by Jenkins after Ruddock's departure as reasons why he would not be prepared to go for the job because he did not feel he could work with them, but the fallout from the Ruddock affair has changed the political landscape.

One of the reasons the clubs called the EGM was that they were uneasy with the manner of Ruddock's departure: he had given the union notice that he would not be seeking an extension of his contract when it ran out at the end of May but he was told to stand down immediately by Lewis. Not only was the board not asked to ratify that decision but the directors were not kept abreast of developments as they unfolded that day.

The EGM will be held next month after the appointment of Ruddock's successor, and one director said: "We are aware that if we do not appoint Gareth Jenkins without a totally compelling reason, we will be lynched."

Lyn Jones said earlier this week: "I am not going to talk about the Wales post: there is nothing for me to say," before quipping "there's only one man who is going to get that job - and he's from Llanell".

Luke McAlister, meanwhile, produced a sparkling performance at fly-half and the centre Rua Tipoki scored three tries as the Auckland Blues demolished Western Force 39-8 in their Super 14 encounter at North Harbour Stadium.