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'I have made the decision to stand down as national coach' - Mike Ruddock OTD

CARDIFF, UNITED KINGDOM - FEBRUARY 09: Wales coach Mike Ruddock keeps an eye on proceedings during Wales team training at Sophia Gardens, on February 9, 2006 in Cardiff, Wales. (Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)
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Mike Ruddock resigned as Wales head coach on this day in 2006.

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The then 46-year-old stepped down just 11 months after he led his country to their first Six Nations Grand Slam triumph in 27 years, leaving the side in turmoil.

Ruddock left the top job after deciding he did not want to sacrifice his family life to lead Wales into the 2007 World Cup.

Video Spacer

Scotland fans react to dramatic finish in the Six Nations to France

Finlay was on the ground at Murrayfield to find out what the fans thought about that tight finish between Scotland and France.

Video Spacer

Scotland fans react to dramatic finish in the Six Nations to France

Finlay was on the ground at Murrayfield to find out what the fans thought about that tight finish between Scotland and France.

After he resigned, he said: “After consultation with my family, I have made the decision to stand down as national coach.

“I have decided to withdraw from contract talks to take Wales to the 2007 World Cup in France. This has been a tough decision to make but I have decided to put my family first.

“What I have found during my two years as coach is that the position is ‘more than a job’. That has meant I have spent long periods away from my family, in camp and overseas.

“As a consequence, I felt the intense build-up to next year’s World Cup would mean more time away from my family. That is something, on refection, I would like to avoid.”

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Ruddock won 13 of his 20 games in charge, guiding them to Grand Slam success in 2005 with a 32-20 victory over Ireland alongside a famous 24-22 win over Australia – for the first time in 18 years – at the Millennium Stadium.

Ruddock’s resignation came days after he saw Wales claim a 28-18 win over Scotland in Cardiff.

Gareth Jenkins succeeded Ruddock and signed a two-year deal to take over.

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NoLongerARuck 24 minutes ago
Nations Championship: 'The data shows the north has finally caught up with the south'

The Six Nations produced so many compelling games and so much of action packed moments that you can only conclude that its the best international comp out there at the moment except for a world cup. If Wales improve it will be even better especially given the strides Italy have made in recent times. The Rugby Championship is now taking a hiatus in a year it really should be building toward something better which is terrible considering the competition was so tight last year. The Nations Champs promises much but one gets the feeling that the 6 Nations teams will not be at their peak given its at the end of their long season. In terms of rugby quality and entertainment Id rather watch the 6 Nations over everything else other than a world cup right now. The North arguably offers more in terms of entertainment than the South at club level as well. The Prem, the Champs Cup, URC and Top 14 all feature plenty of scoring and different playing styles while Super Rugby seems to be the same thing game in game out. While the South tries to speed up the game artificially with new trials and law variations the North has shown you can do it with good refereeing which penalises cynical play harshly and encourages positive actions on the field. In terms of entertainment the North wins. In terms of winning? They are making strides but until they win another world cup or get a team to rank number 1 again for an extended time again they cant really say they are better than the South.

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