A crunch meeting in Dublin involving all four home unions will look at Woodward's position in the light of his resignation from his England job last week.

At his farewell Twickenham press conference, Woodward said he was fully committed to the Lions and stressed that he would not be taking any other job until the tour was over.

Ruddock said he and the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) management would give Woodward and his team every help they could in the run-up to the summer journey to New Zealand, where the Lions have not won in 33 years.

The Welsh head coach said: I think he definitely has to do the Lions job. I don't know Clive too well but we texted him messages of support when he got the Lions position.

Also, the WRU has decided on our policy not to restrict our coaches to working solely on our tour of America and Canada next year so that we can help him with his Lions preparations if he wishes.

Ruddock's support has come despite the WRU's insistence that he should not be approached for any Lions role next year.

Indeed, the Wales boss accepts he is too inexperienced anyhow at the top level to work on such a major tour.

Ruddock, appointed to his first national role following the departure of Steve Hansen to New Zealand, added: Its one step at a time for me.

My first job is to try to get the best possible response from my Wales team management and my national side.

I have to give this role my 100% undivided attention.

Im quite comfortable with the fact that I have not been considered for the Lions. Possibly further down the track, though, it's something I might like to be involved in.

It remains that everyone involved in the Welsh team wishes Clive the best of luck for the Lions tour.