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NANTES - Wales rugby coach Gareth Jenkins pleaded for patience as he made his pitch to stay in his job following the team's shock World Cup exit after a dramatic 38-34 defeat against Fiji.
In what was a must-win game for both sides, Wales lost, in a match
where the lead changed hands on four occasions and nine tries in all were scored, to miss out on a World Cup quarterfinal for the first time since 1995.
Saturday's result left Wales with a record of just six wins in 20 tests since Jenkins succeeded 2005 Grand Slam winning boss Mike Ruddock last year.
Given that he'd asked repeatedly to be judged on the World Cup, this defeat - Wales' first test reverse against Fiji in nine meetings - appeared to leave Jenkins in a difficult, not to say untenable, position.
However, his contract runs until April - after the next Six Nations - and he was adamant he would not voluntarily leave.
"My ambition is to continue coaching Wales, it's as simple as that. It's been a short tenure and we've had the result we didn't want," said Jenkins after the Stade de la Beaujoire horror show.
"I've work to do in terms of analysing and reflecting and presenting a report on the World Cup. That's the next stage. After that, decisions will be made one way or the other about the contract.
"When you are in this position as national coach you have to accept you are accountable. What we musn't do is panic. I don't think there's any need for a huge knee-jerk reaction. We need to understand the lessons."
Fiji ensured Wales had to play catch-up rugby after an extraordinary burst of 25 points in nine first-half minutes which featured tries from flanker Akapusi Qera, wing Vilimoni Delasau and second row Kele Leawere.
Wales, with Fiji a man down after Qera had been yellow-carded on the stroke of half-time, hit back early in the second half thanks to a superb solo try from Shane Williams, as well as captain Gareth Thomas and Mark Jones.
It seemed as if flanker Martyn Williams had sealed what would have been a remarkable comeback win with a 73rd minute interception try but Fiji had the last word when prop Graham Dewes burrowed his way over from close range just three minutes before the finish.
"There were about eight minutes to go when we took the lead. What we didn't have after that was enough ball to actually tactically manage the game," Jenkins said.
"We played against a very good side and they have to be given credit. We were second-best in a hell of an encounter. We're hugely disappointed, there's not one of us not hurting or bleeding emotionally."
As Jenkins made his case for staying on, fullback Thomas - on the day he played his 100th test for Wales - all but called for someone to call time on his international career.
"I'll never retire but Welsh rugby has to move on and look towards the next World Cup," said the 33-year-old, who asked for a sense of perspective regarding Wales' loss in one of the all time classic World Cup encounters.
"It can be the most brilliant thing in the world, and the most desperate thing in the world, sometimes to be a Welsh rugby player.
"It's important the guys realise that we'll go home tomorrow (Sunday), everybody will wake up in the morning and life will start again. We'll take the flak together but the world keeps spinning and life goes on."
Meanwhile, Jenkins said Fiji had it in them to spring an even bigger upset by beating quarterfinal opponents South Africa in Marseille on October 7.
"We have played against a side that can threaten anybody on their day. They've got individually world-class players and they are not short of tactical nous and technical skill either."
- AFP
