Jenkins was informed of the decision in a meeting with WRU chief executive Roger Lewis and chairman David Pickering at the team hotel on Sunday morning.

He paid the price for failing to meet the minimum expectations of a place in the World Cup quarter-finals and the WRU will now launch a worldwide search for a replacement.

The rest of the Wales coaching staff - Nigel Davies, Neil Jenkins, Robin McBryde and Rowland Phillips - will all have their positions reviewed by the WRU in the coming days.

The writing was on the wall for Jenkins within hours of Saturday nights 38-34 defeat to Fiji, which condemned Wales to their worst World Cup performance in the professional era.

Whispers quickly began doing the rounds that he was on his way out.

Jenkins himself insisted immediately after the game that he would not resign and there was no need for panic or knee-jerk reactions.

He was under contract until the end of the RBS 6 Nations and wanted a chance to present his case to the WRU board.

The board met in Nantes on Friday night and it was decided Jenkins should stand down so planning for the 2011 World Cup could begin immediately.

Lewis said: The board of the Welsh Rugby Union met last night. A decision has been made, which Gareth has accepted, that he is no longer the national coach of Wales.

No-one would deny the total commitment, passion and dedication that Gareth Jenkins has given to the cause.

His desire for success has been tangible - you can taste it, you can smell it when you are in his company - but it was not to be.

Our World Cup journey came to an end yesterday. It is now about 2011.