CARDIFF Blues could look to Gwent if, as expected, director of rugby Dai Young negotiates his release to accept the offer of a four-year deal in charge at London Wasps.

Young is said to have agreed to take over at Wasps who have been without a director of rugby since New Zealander Tony Hanks departed midway through last season.

The 43-year-old has been with the Blues for nine years and was meeting with chairman Peter Thomas yesterday for discussions about being released from his contract which has ten months to run.

Thomas would want compensation from Wasps, but if Young quits a trio of Gwent men will be among the front runners to succeed him - Paul Turner, Kingsley Jones and Mike Ruddock.

Newbridge-born Turner spent five years in charge of Newport Gwent Dragons until his controversial departure in February.

Despite having to operate with limited resources Turner kept the Dragons afloat on the pitch and was responsible for the development of players of the calibre of Dan Lydiate, Toby Faletau, Jason Tovey and Adam Hughes.

But the relationship turned sour when he fell out with the WRU after alleging Wales coach Warren Gatland was responsible for getting Lydiate injured during a training session which prevented him from playing for the Dragons and then there was a bust-up with a Welsh media man.

Complaints were made and Turner was suspended by the Dragons before an agreement was reached and he left the scene in an inglorious way after all the hard work he had put in.

He has since been back at his St Albans home biding his time, undertaking an occasional coaching role and was also interviewed for the vacant Wasps position, ex-Gloucester chief Dean Ryan another candidate.

Turner would undoubtedly welcome the opportunity of taking on a big role with the Blues and is well versed in what is required with worldwide contacts in the game.

Jones would also jump at the chance. He has an impressive track record having been coach and director of rugby at Sale for seven years until he, too, left earlier this year, ironically his last game in charge against the Dragons at the end of January.

The former Ebbw Vale captain has been a regular pundit on the BBC Wales Scrum V programme and has taken up a short-term post in charge of the Russian national team, replacing Steve Diamond who has succeeded him at Sale.

The Russians wanted Jones to take them up to the 2015 World Cup, but he doesn’t want to commit himself beyond this autumn’s World Cup and would welcome a return to Wales where he still has a property.

The situation with Ruddock is a bit different in that he is already in a productive post in charge of the Ireland Under 20 set-up, currently in Italy for the Junior World Cup.

His sons and daughter are progressing well in sport in Ireland, Rhys now on a full contract with Leinster and a member of the senior Ireland squad.

He is settled in Dublin, home of his wife Bernadette and there is some doubt whether he would be prepared to return to the goldfish bowl of Welsh rugby.

Blaina-born Ruddock spent a successful season in charge of the Dragons in the first year of regional rugby, taking them to third place in the table, their highest finishing position.

That heralded his promotion to the top job as Wales coach and amid great euphoria he guided them to their first Grand Slam for 27 years in 2005.

But it fell apart very quickly and amid all kinds of speculation about inner turmoil and disagreements he resigned midway through the following campaign.

He then enjoyed a spell at Worcester, but was unable to keep them in the Premier Division so he left there and took up his current position in Ireland. Returning to Wales would be another huge upheaval for him and his family.

Other front runners for the Blues post if it becomes vacant would be current No 2 Justin Burnell, ex-full back Mike Rayer who has been in charge at Bedford for almost a decade and possibly Dale McIntosh who has done a good job at Pontypridd, last season’s Welsh Cup winners.