New Zealander Steve Hansen, appointed earlier this season as assistant to Graham Henry, will take charge of Wales for the remainder of the Six Nations campaign.
Hansen will take over from Henry, who resigned as coach by mutual consent late last night, with immediate effect.
The first, unenviable, item on the agenda for Hansen will be to prepare his newly inherited side for the visit of France to Cardiff on Saturday week.
He will also be at the helm for Tests against Italy, champions England and Scotland.
Hansen was introduced to the media at a Millennium Stadium press conference this lunchtime when WRU chairman Glanmor Griffiths explained the reasons behind Henry's departure after three-and-a-half years in charge.
The 55-year-old Kiwi had some 20 months remaining on a five-year contract worth more than Stg£1 million but the humiliating 54-10 defeat at Lansdowne Road led to his departure.
Henry gave his view of events in a prepared written statement, which was read out at today's press conference.
The statement read: "It has been an incredible three-and-a-half-year journey for both myself and my wife Raewyn, since we left New Zealand to come to Wales.
"It has been an experience like nothing I ever imagined and one I would never have missed for the world.
"Wales offered me the chance to coach at the highest level, and I have fully enjoyed the challenge. There is so much passion and commitment in Welsh rugby, and Wales as a whole, and it really has been a pleasure for me to be the national coach of Wales.
"The support for the team, and myself, still appears as strong as ever, but in the light of recent results I have had to take a good look at myself in the mirror and ask myself some hard questions.
"I still think that I am a good coach but I don't think I am coaching as well as I can.
"The intensity of the rugby that Wales and the Lions have played since I arrived, as well as the all-consuming nature of the job I came into, I believe has led to a burn-out factor in my coaching."
Henry added: "In my view the Welsh players need a little bit more than I appear to be able to give them at the moment.
"It is no knee-jerk reaction to the result in Ireland but, being brutally honest with myself, I feel the time has come for the team to hear a new voice.
"I won't be going anywhere for the time being. I will be remaining in Wales and attempting to recharge my batteries.
"The Welsh team and players have always been my major concern, and I believe that I will leave them in the hands of three of the most capable coaches in the world game at present - Steve Hansen, Clive Griffiths and Scott Johnson.
"If I did not have as much faith in the ability of those three outstanding men to take the team forward then I would not have asked to meet with Glanmor Griffiths and gone through the processes of the last few days that led me to end my role as the Wales national coach."