Hansen - returns to New Zealand.

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Steve Hansen has ended his two-year reign as Wales coach hoping he has left the national game in a better state than when he arrived.

He received a resounding ovation from the Millennium Stadium crowd on Saturday after Wales beat Italy 44-10 in the final RBS 6 Nations Championship - his last game in charge.

The New Zealander's results do not make particularly pleasant reading - he has only won three championship matches in 14 outings - but he has taken credit for professionalising Welsh rugby.

And Hansen returns to New Zealand on April 20 to take up a post as All Blacks assistant coach happy with the state of the Welsh game and the ovation he had in Cardiff.

"By and large the Welsh are warm-hearted people, and the performance was something that excited them, and it was easy for them to be warm-hearted," said Hansen.

"It has been 22 years since a Welsh coach last saw out his contract so it was something different.

"I think I have set out what I wanted to achieve but it is not up to me it's whether other people reflect what I think."

Hansen said he left the Wales hot seat for Mike Ruddock with plenty of abiding memories.

"Just seeing the boys achieve on a daily basis, that is the main thing for me. We came from a long way back in the field, and to make the improvements they have, that will stay with me as will the friendships," he said.

"The performances in the World Cup will live with me, and the Twickenham game a couple of weeks ago was a nice memory after we were thumped by England two years ago."

During his time Hansen has had to wade through plenty of political rows, not least the formation of the five regional teams at the end of last season.

And he said: "Something that has frustrated me is the ability to kill ourselves through in-fighting and having personal agendas, rather than having the ability to look at the big picture and work together.

"We are getting better in that respect, but we are certainly not perfect. I think there are more people walking around with the lights on, than the lights off."

Hansen said he expected Scott Johnson to continue as Ruddock's assistant despite the Australian being connected with a coaching job at Leicester.

"I very much doubt Scott will become coach at Leicester," he said.

"It is important that Scott and Andrew Hore (fitness coach) carry on because it will give Mike continuity. There is a common denominator for the team. You have to have good people working for you and those two are the best.

"I hope to come back with New Zealand next autumn and have a good game in Wales. I would obviously want the All Blacks to win but I would like it to be a contest because that will mean Wales are continuing to improve."

Since taking over from Graham Henry two years ago Hansen inherited a largely inexperienced squad which he has had to nurture.

"One of the aims while I was here was to make the players better people, and they are a good group of young men," he explained.

"What we have tried to do is empower the team so they take ownership of their own game and understand the game of rugby, to the point where it does not matter who is coaching the team.

"I am not fearful that Mike is going to come in and rip it apart, but he has got to be his own man and follow his own path.

"Mike is a quality coach. He has proved that over a number of years."