MOSCOW, November 30. /TASS/. Lyn Jones has announced his resignation on Tuesday from the post of the head coach of the Russian national rugby team, the Welsh manager announced his decision on Tuesday during a session of the Supreme Council of the Russian Rugby Federation (RRF).

"I am leaving the national team of Russia," he said. "I have informed the federation about this decision in September."

"I regret that I failed to leave the national squad at a higher level, but I have objective reasons behind it," he stated.

Jones, 57, who won five caps for his country in the early 1990s, took charge of the Russian national rugby team in early August, 2018, with the prime aim of bringing it to the 2019 World Rugby Cup in Japan. The Welsh manager achieved his goal but his team finished in the cellar of its group.

The Welsh expert also led the Russian rugby team to 4th place in the 2019 Rugby Europe Championship, with just two victories to their name; 64-7 over Belgium and 26-18 over Germany.

Russia’s record at World Rugby Cups

Russia qualified for the Rugby World Cup series for the first time ever in 2011. The 2011 Rugby World Cup was co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand and Russia did not clear the group stage, losing all its matches.

The national rugby squad from Russia missed the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England, as it did not qualify for the global competition.

Led by Lyn Jones, the Russian national team managed to qualify for the 2019 World Rugby Cup in Japan and was drawn in Group A alongside the teams from Ireland, Samoa, Scotland and Japan. However, the Russian squad lost all of its four group stage matches, namely 10-30 to Japan, 9-34 to Samoa, 0-35 to Ireland, 0-61 to Scotland and finished in last place of Group A with zero points.