NEWPORT Gwent Dragons insist Lyn Jones has been absent through illness and still in charge despite the director of rugby being said to have been at Harlequins rather than his sick bed just weeks after missing out on the Canada national job.

Jones was not at Kingsholm to see the Dragons upset the odds against Gloucester in the quarter-finals of the European Challenge Cup on Saturday with the Rodney Parade region citing illness for his absence.

Head coach Kingsley Jones said after that win at Kingsholm that the director of rugby had not been able to play a part in training since Thursday because of sickness.

However, on Sunday’s European Rugby Special programme on Sky Sports, Harlequins number eight Nick Easter said that he had been in Twickenham that very day.
“Lyn Jones was interestingly down at the Stoop on Thursday when we were doing our team run (ahead of playing London Irish) and I said to him good luck (for Gloucester)…” said the former England international.

That comes after Jones, who is under contract at Rodney Parade for another season, was considered for the job in charge of Canada.

The Canucks shortlisted him but instead pursued New Zealander Mark Anscombe. The former Ulster coach and father of Wales international Gareth was appointed a fortnight ago.

Jones, who took over at the Dragons in the summer of 2013, has been under pressure after a miserable season in the Guinness Pro12 in which they have won just four games.

He had been supposed to be at a Q&A evening with supporters at Rodney Parade on Monday night along with chief executive Stuart Davies but could not attend with Davies insisting there was nothing sinister behind the absence of the former Neath, Ospreys and London Welsh boss.

"He is director of rugby and subject to ailments like the rest of us. He is off work and in fairness to Kingsley he did well to step in at the last minute (at the Q&A). Nothing has changed,” said the former Wales and Swansea back row forward.

Jones extended absence - he wasn't at training on Tuesday - has led to speculation about his future at the region and a supporter asked for clarity surrounding the director of rugby's position at the Q&A.

"I don’t tweet, so I can’t comment on the specifics that are going round out there," replied Davies.

“If you are asking around being booed at a game or whatever, I really don’t want to use the evening for that sort of thing.

“Naturally, at the end of the season, we will undertake a review of everything.

“But as far as whatever rumours or whatever it is you are referring to, Lyn hasn’t been in work for just under a week now and thus Kingsley is sitting in.

“As for whatever’s going on out there, I can’t comment on that.”

The Dragons players had a day off on Monday and started preparations today for Sunday’s league encounter with Cardiff Blues in the capital.

Harlequins boss Conor O'Shea is leaving London at the end of the season to take charge of Italy.