MIKE'S THE MAN, BUT NOT ALONE

MIKE RUDDOCK is the man to whom Wales should turn to guide them through to next year's World Cup.

But after the downfall of Kevin Bowring it is obvious to me that one man should not be expected to carry the burden alone.

The Welsh Rugby Union needs to learn from past mistakes and from the experiences of those countries, such as England, who seem to have got their own houses in order.

For that reason I would put Mike in charge as the new Welsh coach, but bring in a top-rated New Zealander to work alongside him.

Such a combination - a Welshman who understands our rugby heritage and a Kiwi who could bring expertise from outside - could be just the dream ticket we are all searching for.

I was always a big fan of Mike during his days as Swansea coach. He won two championships in four years and turned a bunch of under- achievers into hardened, hungry winners.

But he also remained true to Swansea traditions by insisting they played attractive rugby.

Past Welsh coaches have relied too heavily on the players from their former clubs, giving too many opportunities for people to claim that favouritism won the day over talent.

But I firmly believe Mike would not fall back on old players simply because they did the business for him some years ago. Since moving to Dublin and becoming coach at Leinster, he has been able to take a much more detached outlook on Welsh rugby.

Mike's qualities as a coach would only carry him so far, however. If you look at Clive Woodward's impact with England, it is not solely down to one man. Woodward has found a massive ally in John Mitchell, a former All Black who has brought a ruthless streak into the England set-up which they were badly lacking. Mitchell also gives Woodward a shoulder to lean on.

That is why I would give Mike a talented backs coach from New Zealand to bring in some fresh ideas from the brightest rugby country in the world.

Of course, if there was a John Hart or someone else in the Southern Hemisphere readily available, then maybe Wales should go out and make him their No 1 choice. But asking Hart to leave the All Blacks and come to Wales would be like persuading Arsene Wenger to quit Arsenal and take over at Manchester City!

Realistically, Mike is Wales' best option and I hope some way could be found to persuade him it's a job worth having.

Former Wallabies coach Bob Dwyer has also been touted as a successor to Bowring. But I fear Dwyer would not last 10 minutes in charge of Wales.

Sure, he's a talented guy but as a straight-talking Aussie not used to Welsh ways, I reckon there would be more ructions behind the scenes if he was not allowed everything he wanted.

Dwyer tried to take on the old Leicester element at the club this season. They fought back and it ended with Dwyer getting the sack.

If Ruddock can't gain release from Leinster straight away, Pontypridd coach Dennis John would be a safe pair of hands for the short term, and in particular the tour to South Africa.

But for the long term, and that means next year's World Cup and beyond, Mike would be my No 1 choice.

Bowring's departure was no real surprise, given the outcry which greeted the thrashings by England and France in the Five Nations. The list of demands he gave to the WRU was basically an unsigned death warrant.

The union, and Bowring himself, knew they were completely unattainable in the short term and so would open the way for a mutual compromise.

It allowed Kevin to walk away with his dignity intact by saying he quit on a point of principle.

But because the changes to the structure of the Welsh game are unrealistic at this stage - in the middle of a war between the union and the clubs - then Bowring's bosses felt no difficulty in denying him. It enabled them to let him go without being left with blood on their hands.

Bowring was an honourable man who I felt did a decent job in his initial period in charge. He got Wales playing attractive rugby, but results against top nations were never really delivered. His stated aim was to lift Wales back up into the First Division of world rugby. On that basis, his time in charge must be considered a failure.

I am not saying it was an easy job, by any means. But I think all coaches reach a point where the momentum stops and things start to slip away.

Kevin had two decent years but met his Waterloo when Wales went to Twickenham this season and ended up taking a record hiding.

Those 20 minutes before the end of the first half when Wales conceded four tries must have felt like someone kicking his legs from under him, and from that point on he was on his way down.

From a technical viewpoint I think Kevin made some progress. We scored more tries than we had for a long time and the fans appreciated the commitment to running rugby.

But perhaps his fatal flaw as a coach was motivation. Maybe there was too much theory and not enough fire and fury.

Now the time for looking back has past. Wales need to move on - and that means making sure the right men are at the helm.

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