Turner has been suspended pending a hearing into disciplinary matters © Getty Images

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News: Turner leaves Dragons

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Teams: Dragons | Wales

Newport Gwent Dragons coach Paul Turner has been suspended by the struggling Welsh region ahead of an investigation into disciplinary matters.

The former Wales fly-half parted company with the side following a board meeting at Rodney Parade on Thursday night with a recent altercation with a journalist reportedly among a number of factors leading to his departure. His assistant Darren Edwards has been put in temporary charge of the team.

"Head Coach Paul Turner has been relieved of his duties pending a hearing into disciplinary matters," said a Dragons statement. "As previously announced, the region's LV= Cup games against Sale Sharks this weekend and next weekend's game against the Scarlets will be led by the assistant coaching team as part of the region's ongoing policy of coach development. There will be no further comment on this issue until disciplinary proceedings have been completed."

Turner took charge of the Dragons in 2005 and signed a two-year contract extension in 2009 which should have kept him at Rodney Parade until 2012. But a disappointing campaign that has seen the Dragons record just seven wins in the Magners League and suffer a whitewash in the Heineken Cup increased the pressure on the 51-year-old.

The coach hit the headlines earlier this month after claiming Dragons star Dan Lydiate had been injured during Wales fitness testing although it later emerged that the player had not even taken part in physical activity. More recently he had Western Mail journalist Andy Howell removed from a post-match press conference after he suggested the coach's future was in doubt.

Turner's departure coincided with a further statement from the Dragons apologising for his comments regarding Lydiate. "Dragons Head Coach Paul Turner would like to apologise unequivocally both for the way in which this matter came into the public domain and his choice of words used," said the statement.

"His comments were made in the heat of the moment following a briefing from his medical team regarding Danny Lydiate and were the result of his frustration and concern over the welfare of a player who has had a difficult history with injury. Mr Turner accepts that these are issues which would have been best dealt with directly with the WRU and not through the media."