Dragons part company with head coach Paul Turner

NEWPORT Gwent Dragons confirmed the inevitable yesterday when they announced that head coach Paul Turner had left the club after six years at Rodney Parade.

The former Wales stand-off and last season's Magners League Coach of the Year was suspended by the Welsh region last month after their Heineken Cup defeat to Glasgow. He had lost his temper with a Welsh journalist who asked about his future with the Dragons suffering a first clean sweep of defeats in the competition and threatened to "hit him out" if he didn't leave. It is believed there followed an altercation between Turner and a group in the club's hospitality suite and he was suspended just a few days later while chief executive Mike Jenkins conducted his internal inquiry.

He had already incurred the wrath of the WRU when he criticised their treatment at a national squad camp of Dragons back row Danny Lydiate.

Lydiate, who plays against Scotland today, had battled back to fitness after breaking his neck against Perpignan four years ago. The Dragons issued an apology to the WRU.

However, the writing was on the wall for the 50-year-old and yesterday the Dragons issued a statement that read: "Newport Gwent Dragons wish to announce that Paul Turner's employment with the region as head coach has ceased today by mutual agreement. The region would like to express its thanks to Paul for the work he has done in past years and to wish him all the very best in the future."

Assistant coach Darren Edwards, who also coaches the Wales Under-20s side, has been placed in charge until the end of the season, but former Wales captain Kingsley Jones is tipped to take over for next season, after announcing that he will leave Sale Sharks in the summer.