Jenkins Blasts Welsh Union

Llanelli director of rugby Gareth
Jenkins blasted the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) for the way they treated him in the run-up to
appointing Mike Ruddock as the new national coach.

Jenkins, the favourite for the post, was having his candidacy
considered
alongside that of Harlequins supremo Mark Evans when WRU chiefs
approached
Ruddock – who had not even applied for the job.,p>
The Gwent Dragons coach was unveiled on Thursday as the new Wales
coach in
succession to Steve Hansen having been approached just last Monday to
reconsider his decision.

The WRU’s conduct clearly left a bitter taste in the mouth of
Jenkins who
last week said he felt “publicly humiliated” by the process.

And the Llanelli supremo was still angry days later when he told a
press
conference at the club’s Stradey Park ground: “I clearly felt
there was
something going on at the selection process.

“I was very uncomfortable that critical details of my
interview had been
leaked to the press.

“There was someone in the group who showed a total lack of
integrity and
respect for the process and I found that hard to deal with.”

He added: “When it got to the announcement there was no
credibility at all.
Things were being done underhanded and behind people’s backs. The panel were quite clear they did not have any intention
of letting
people know when they were no longer wanted.”

AFP – 2004.