Gareth Jenkins bids farewell to Stradey Park

But the new Wales coach, who saw his last game as Scarlets director of rugby end with a 12-12 draw against Ulster, said the future was exciting.

"I'm very positive, I have to say, it's been a great journey and a happy one with lots of challenges," Jenkins said.

"I wanted to be a Scarlet and I became one, I wanted to coach the club and I've coached it."

Jenkins joined Llanelli as a 16-year-old back-row in 1969, where his first game as a player was against Harlequins.

He went on to play 259 games and scored 50 tries in the process, and Jenkins was in the Llanelli side that famously beat New Zealand 9-3 on 31 October, 1972.

Day the pubs ran dry

Jenkins took up his first coaching post in the 1982/83 season and became director of rugby when the Scarlets regional side was created in 2003/04.

In all he has taken charge of 936 games, including winning several Welsh League titles and cups, plus the Celtic League.

"There's always been moments of elation, always been moments of disappointment, but I've always felt it was a place we could smile in," Jenkins added.

It's probably a bit too late to take the Scarlet out of me Gareth Jenkins

"I'm a lucky man and I'm now going to do a job I always felt I wanted to do, I wanted to coach my country and I'm going to do that."

Scarlets chief executive Stuart Gallacher says Jenkins' departure is the end of an era.

"It's a big change for us, Gareth's part of the furniture," Gallacher said.

"I was looking at his record and he played his first game for us in 1969 when I was captain, believe it or not, and coached here since 1982."

Scarlets are expected to unveil former Wales and Llanelli skipper Phil Davies as their replacement director of rugby next week.

THE GARETH JENKINS CV Born: Burry Port, 11/09/51 Clubs: Llanelli Position: Flanker Playing career: Toured with Wales on the Far East tour of 1975; Wales A (1 appearance as captain vs France Rouen 1975); Barbarians (4 appearances 1976); 270 appearances for Llanelli Coaching career: 1982-2006 Llanelli and Llanelli Scarlets; 1992-1995 Assistant Wales coach (to Alan Davies), including 1994 Five Nations title 2005 Midweek coach on the Lions tour of New Zealand. 1990, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2002 Won league title with Llanelli 1991, 1992, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2003 Won Welsh Cup with Llanelli 2004 Won Celtic League title with Llanelli Scarlets 2006 Becomes Wales coach on 27 April Wales' former rugby coaches

While Davies, who is leaving his post at Leeds Tykes, is a returning son of Stradey, Gallacher admits Jenkins is a hard act to follow.

"Gareth has spent 24 years coaching at one club at the highest level, that's a remarkable record," Gallacher added.

"Over nearly 940 games he's coached here, with a success rate of about 70%.

"When you sit down and look at it you, just wonder how he's kept his drive and his enthusiasm going for the game and for Llanelli all these years.

"One of the reasons is that he's a true man of Llanelli, loves the town, loves the area and respects the traditions of what this club has been over 130 years and has certainly played his part in it."

Jenkins himself, while eager to start his Wales career with June's two-Test tour to Argentina, is sure that he will find himself back with the Scarlets one day.

"I don't think I will ever truly leave the Scarlets," Jenkins said.

"They're in my blood, in my soul - in truth it's probably a bit too late to take the Scarlet out of me.

"We'll just say I'm on secondment from them for a couple of years!"