Dick Best was speaking on BBC Wales' Scrum V programme

The panel of Roger Lewis, David Pickering and Gerald Davies are currently in New Zealand looking to replace sacked coach Gareth Jenkins.

But Best feels that the decision should rest with the new elite performance director, who is yet to be appointed.

"None of the panel are qualified in my opinion to recruit the coach," he said.

Interview: Dick Best on Scrum V

"What I strongly and vehemently disagree with are these three people who have gone off round the world looking for a new coach.

"You don't have a new elite performance director in place yet and the new coach will answer to him, so you want the performance director making that decision.

You need that guy in place immediately and then he goes out and recruits the new coach Dick Best

"He should make that decision, not Gerald Davies, not David Pickering and not Roger Lewis."

Former Wales fitness coach Andrew Hore is expected to be appointed as the elite performance director, and Best added: "The first person you want in place is the performance director.

"You need that guy in place immediately and then he goes out and recruits the new coach."

Best also admitted to feeling slightly sorry for the recently sacked Gareth Jenkins.

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He said: "The guy has been coaching rugby for 20 odd years. He is not a bad coach and he has copped the blame for a pretty average Wales performance.

"Sacking the coach has become the norm, we've become like soccer in that way."

* Dick Best was speaking on BBC Wales' Scrum V programme