A new Wales rugby coach will not be appointed before next month at the earliest, says Welsh Rugby Union chairman David Pickering, the former Wales captain.

He has revealed that interviews for the post of successor to Steve Hansen at the end of the Six Nations Championship have still not started.

In a special interview with the Argus, Pickering reveals:

l The job of Wales coach can be the loneliest in the world.

l Any preferences about a back-up team will be sorted out at the interview.

l His delight at the return of Tony Brown at the helm of Newport Gwent Dragons.

l How the WRU are getting their huge debt under control.

l The flourishing support from businesses and fans.

Pickering denies it was intended to have the new coach in place for the Six Nations so that he could track the event, and says it will be March before an appointment is made.

"We have to act responsibly and in an extremely professional and prudent way to ensure the process takes place in a proper manner," he said.

"We have to make the correct decision, and fortunately we have good people to interview which we will be doing.

"It was never our policy to have a coach in place by the start of the Six Nations. Whoever you take on they are already employed, and does it work anyway? I don't think so.

"You would like continuity and try to keep what is exceptional in the system, but the new man will be very accountable for what happens on the field so he should have a considerable influence.

"I am always of the opinion that intricate details are thrashed out in a proper environment at the interview process.

"I was part of the interview panel in the British Lions process last week, and that was done properly.

"You have to thrash things out, that is the key because we operate in a harsh business environment. So a number of questions have to be answered.

"To be coach of Wales can be the loneliest job in the world, it can be tough and it can have an effect on your family."

Pickering says the WRU's new ticketing policy ensures the Scotland and France home games are sell-outs, with over 55,000 gone for the Italy game, figures which compare with 22,000 and 55,000 for the Scotland and England games last August.

"Clubs had their tickets, but they were paying after games and sending tickets back late. Now they have to indicate three months before which has enabled us to go to the public with tickets," he said.

"It was a very bold decision, but we are determined this is the way to carry on, we have got to ensure Welsh rugby survives.

"The ticketing policy we advocated has been an outstanding success, with the first two games a sell-out and all but three commercial boxes sold out for Saturday.

"The corporate hospitality side is tough, but there's a huge demand. I genuinly believe people think we have turned the corner and that the tough decisions we've made are right.

"We are grateful for the support from Barclays Bank who believe we have turned the business around. We have got to ensure financial stability is there and that is constantly in the forefront of our thoughts."

Pickering is also chairman (without a casting vote) of Newport Gwent Dragons and he welcomes the involvement of Tony Brown again.

"I am personally delighted Tony is involved with the region with his business acumen and tangible support. I'm very pleased he has stayed," he said.

"The regional system will evolve, we are competing successfully in Europe and it will improve steadily. I'd give it six out of ten compared with three in the old fashioned Premiership."