THE Welsh Rugby Union and the players still don't know whether Scott Johnson intends remaining in Wales and applying for the job he has held on a caretaker basis for the last three games.

The WRU placed an advert for a head coach on their website immediately after Saturday's final Six Nations match of the season against France, with a deadline of April 7.

It has long been expected Johnson will return to Australia where he has pressing family problems, and he has already been offered the post of assistant to new national coach John Connolly.

WRU chief executive Steve Lewis and chairman David Pickering have no official knowledge of Johnson's intentions.

Johnson met the squad at yesterday's final debrief, but although the occasion was emotional he did not inform them of his decision.

At the media gathering which followed, Johnson confessed: "I haven't talked to my employers yet and I'd rather do that when I'm in a better state," referring to a long, heavy night.

Asked for his advice on a new coach, he replied: "I'd tell them this is a difficult place to work in. Everyone's got an opinion, everyone supposedly knows their rugby and there's more coaches and selectors out there per head of population than there is anywhere else in the world.

"Have a big coat of armour on your back and make sure the knives don't stick in there, and get on with it. Look at my back - I've got more bloodstains on it than anyone. Braveheart didn't have as many as I have!"

The need for a decision is paramount and Johnson will tell the WRU within days, an annoucement due by the end of the week.

The five man panel appointed - as forecast in the Argus last Tuesday - consists of Lewis, Pickering, director of development Mostyn Richards, Gerald Davies and game policy chairman Alan Jones.

They will be charged with getting the best man for the job, but they will go outside the list if they believe it is not of the right calibre.

The early deadline - the new coach wanted to take Wales to Argentina in June - rules out Llanelli Scarlets chief Gareth Jenkins because he won't work with those running the WRU.

An extraordinary meeting of all 245 clubs - the other burning issue in Welsh rugby - could be called this week as clubs demand answers over the Ruddockgate affair and other matters.

District A is surprisingly the most militant given that Lewis is a Gwent man. Any EGM would have to be held within three weeks - after the deadline for applications for Wales coach.

The players want Johnson to stay. Centre Hal Luscombe, one of Wales' stars against France, said: "Obviously Scott has got a decision to make and we wish him all the best. It's difficult because his family comes into it, but we'll be delighted if he stays. I've developed under him as a player, he's a brilliant backs coach."