Scott Johnson says he is surprised to learn he has been installed as favourite to replace Gareth Jenkins as Wales head coach.

Jenkins was sacked after Wales were sent crashing out of the World Cup in the group stages following a 38-34 defeat to Fiji last Saturday.

The Welsh Rugby Union wasted no time in launching a "worldwide search" for a new head coach and a root and branch review of the elite game in Wales.

Johnson, the Australian who spent five years on the Wales coaching staff before moving back down under to work with the Wallabies, would not be drawn on his post-World Cup plans.

But he did not join the high-profile trio of Eddie Jones, Nick Mallett and Mike Ruddock in apparently ruling himself from the position.

When told of the bookmakers' odds, Johnson said: "That it certainly a surprise to hear. No-one has spoken to me. But 3-1 favourite eh? We can have a little wager on this one!

"Seriously, the reality is that I have a job to do here. It is something further down the track and not for me to say.

"At the moment I am worrying about this quarter-final against England. That is all that is on my mind."

The WRU board met on Tuesday to begin drawing up a shortlist of potential targets. Other names being suggested include Crusaders coach Robbie Deans and Phil Davies from the Llanelli Scarlets.

Chief executive Roger Lewis, chairman David Pickering and Gerald Davies willlform a three-man panel to find the new coach.

The trio will lead a "worldwide search" forJenkins' successor and will aim to have him in place by the 2008 Six Nations.

The successful candidate will be awarded a four-year contract through to the 2011 World Cup.

Lewis said: "Today we fully debriefed the WRU board on the events of the weekend surrounding the departure of Gareth Jenkins.

"There was a full and detailed discussion about what we must now do and that includes a full review of all aspects of elite rugby in Wales.

"The task of finding a new head coach is now our priority and has started in earnest this evening."

Jones, Mallett and Ruddock have all indicated they would not be interested in the position.

Jones told The Guardian: "I am committed to joining Saracens after the World Cup.

"I have always said that I want to return to international coaching one day, but it has to be the right job at the right time.

"I have not given the Wales position any thought. I am concentrating on the World Cup and will then turn my attention to the Premiership."

South African Mallett's CV is similarly impressive after he set a new record for consecutive wins, 17, in his time at the helm of the Springboks, while he also guided Stade Francais to consecutive French titles.

But he has been lined up by Italy to replace outgoing coach Pierre Berbizier and admits he is now committed to the Azzurri.

"I have gone quite far down the road in my negotiations with Italy," Mallett told the Western Mail.

"There will probably be an announcement on that front after the World Cup. There are just one or two things to be sorted out, but that is my preferred choice."

Asked if his head could be turned by the Welsh job, he added: "I don't think so.

"It wouldn't be fair on the Italian federation. Having basically agreed on 90 per cent of the issues, it would be wrong for me to turn round and renege on that. I am too far down the road."

Ruddock was more of an outside bet for the job following his acrimonious departure from the role early last year.

But the Worcester director of rugby would have been a popular choice after guiding Wales to their first Grand Slam for 27 years in 2005.

However, he added: "I appreciate all the support in Wales and I still get lots of letters of support from Welsh people, but I'm staying in Worcester for the foreseeable future.

"It is nice to be linked again with coaching at international level but I am enjoying the challenge at Worcester and I am under contract there for the next three years."

Johnson's future is up in the air, with Australia head coach John Connolly set to retire following the World Cup. He has spoken before of his desire to return to Wales.

Johnson was a key figure in Wales' 2005 Grand Slam triumph and took over as caretaker head coach when Mike Ruddock left during the 2006 Six Nations.

His imprint was still writ large over the Wales team, whose senior players were determined to play his expansive rugby when Jenkins preferred a more pragmatic approach.

Martyn Williams, who retired from Test rugby on Monday, described Johnson as "the best attack coach we have ever had".

Whether or not he gets the head coaching job, Johnson urged against the WRU making any radical changes to the domestic structure in Wales.

When announcing Jenkins' departure the WRU confirmed plans for a full review but Johnson does not believe the structure was to blame for Wales' World Cup failure.

He rates the Welsh regional system to be one of the best around and is confident it will continue producing world-class young players like James Hook, Alun-Wyn Jones and Ian Evans.

Johnson said: "The big reform happened a few years ago and the set-up now is on a par with anywhere in the world.

"We went from numerous club teams to a provincial set-up and two or three years ago we won successive under-21 Grand Slams.

"Those kids will be coming through the system. They are funding academies and have far more resources than I ever saw when I was there.

"Players like Martyn Williams will be hard to replace but the production line will continue.

"I think their system is pretty good. Sometimes it is just not your time."

If the Welsh structure is working well, there have been frequent calls in recent weeks for the WRU to reform the systems within it.

Wales' kicking coach Neil Jenkins spoke honestly during the World Cup of the need to develop players' skills with the boot from a younger age.

He believes Hook would already be comfortable kicking off both feet, in the mould of Jonny Wilkinson, if the WRU's academy structure had got hold of him early. At the moment he is not.

And Evans stated this week that playing "mediocre" teams in the Magners League is not preparing players properly for the rigours of Test rugby.

Both those factors will be taken into account in the WRU's wide-ranging review process.

Nevertheless, Johnson insists Wales should not be shocked at being dumped out of the World Cup by Fiji.

"The perception has got to change around the world," he said.

"The expectation that teams can walk through and win these games has changed. People expect the results from yesteryear but this is not yesteryear.

"Since professionalism players are plying their trade right across the world. Every player in that Fiji team was a professional rugby player.

"What is going to happen is that those minnows are going to improve and they have. You watch, Fiji will go to the wire against South Africa in the quarter-finals.

"And while everyone can criticise I think first of all we should beapplauding the victors and not enough of that is done."

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