Rugby Union: Jenkins furore

THE NEIL JENKINS transfer saga took a dramatic twist yesterday when Eddie Jones, the Pontypridd director of rugby, resigned from the club.

The long-serving Jones, who agreed a four-year deal with Cardiff for the Welsh outside-half, is angry that Pontypridd are claiming they did not ratify the transfer. Pontypridd are disputing the reputed pounds 175,000 transfer fee and say nothing was officially agreed between the clubs, even though Jenkins was unveiled as a Cardiff player at a news conference on Monday.

Yesterday Jones reacted angrily and walked out on the Sardis Road club, saying: "My personal integrity is being called into question and I am not putting up with that. They have seen the last of me at Pontypridd. I have resigned."

Jones said the deal, worth pounds 125,000 a year to the international, was agreed between himself and Peter Thomas, Cardiff's chairman and millionaire backer, on Friday.

Cenydd Thomas, the Pontypridd chief executive, responded: "Mr Jones was given authority to speak to Cardiff officials, which he did. He brought back to us a formula which my executive committee considered on Sunday. We required further clarification on certain points and that is where things stood. Cardiff went ahead with their press conference in full awareness that we had some doubts. Quite simply whatever Neil signed yesterday, it wasn't a document that transferred him from Pontypridd to Cardiff."

Cardiff will seek talks with Pontypridd over the matter. David Jenkins, their Operations Director, said: " We want to get things sorted out as soon as possible."