WALES should go for Gareth Jenkins, pictured, as their next full-time coach, believes Newport Gwent Dragons chief Paul Turner.

Jenkins, writes Robin Davey, has a terrific track record with Llanelli at club level and Llanelli Scarlets as a region, but was dramatically pipped for the Wales job when it went to Ruddock instead.

Now that Ruddock has quit mid-season and with Scott Johnson, in temporary charge for the rest of the Six Nations, expected to return to Australia at the end of the season, the top job will become vacant again.

"I expect the WRU will try to keep Johnson," said Turner, "but I think they should go straight for Gareth Jenkins. He was odds-on favourite for the job two years ago, but negotiations broke down.

"There is no other real contender and I feel they should go back to him. He's well versed in what's required and he's a passionate Welshman."

Turner basically rules himself out of the running, just six months into his first job in Wales or anywhere as head coach, though he served five different English Premiership clubs as backs coach.

"You never say never, but I've only just come back to Wales and I've got a huge job just to develop this region," he said.

"I'm happy here and I've inherited a squad which I'm on the point of changing around. I'm delighted to have just re-signed five players, and there's work to be done here."

Turner believes Wales have pressed the self-destruct button over the departure of Ruddock and is sad about it.

"I'm slightly bewildered by it all, but I don't know what happened behind closed doors," he said. "I've got players in the squad, but they wouldn't come to me and tell me tales and I wouldn't ask them either.

"But having been in English rugby for the last 13 years I know anything can happen. It's obvious something was wrong behind the scenes, but it's Mike's call and though other stories may come out he's been very successful.

"I rate him as a top guy and a proud Welshman who has delivered the Grand Slam, something which we hadn't seen for 27 years.

"It's sad we seem to have pressed the self-destruct button, but we've got to move on as a nation, what's happened has happened."