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Pictures: The key moments of Hammett's reign

Mark Hammett is set to step down as coach of Cardiff Blues after just six months in the job, WalesOnline can reveal.

The announcement of his departure is expected to be made next week, perhaps as early as Monday, and he is likely to cite family reasons.

Sources close to the former All Blacks star say his wife has found it difficult to settle in Wales and his mother is ill back in his native New Zealand.

However, results have been hugely disappointing since Hammett’s appointment with just four wins in 14 matches in the Guinness Pro12, before tonight’s clash with Treviso in Italy, to leave them languishing ninth in the table and seemingly out of the race from the league to qualify for next season’s European Rugby Champions Cup.

The Blues have qualified for the quarter-finals of the second-tier European Challenge Cup, facing neighbours Newport Gwent Dragons away at Rodney Parade in April, after winning five of their six fixtures at the pool stage.

They were also in contention to reach the knockout stage of the Anglo-Welsh LV Cup but bombed out after suffering a humiliating and record 43-9 home defeat to Leicester Tigers.

Hammett incurred the wrath of the Blues’ board and the region’s supporters for refusing to change his policy of treating that tournament as a development competition.

More:LIVE breaking news on Hammett's departure

Hammett's Pro 12 record 4 Won 1 Drawn 10 Lost

More:Anscombe to start at fly-half against Treviso

It was felt he could have picked a more experienced team with his decision having cost them the possibility of a bumper home semi-final pay day if they had gone through.

Cardiff Blues chief executive Richard Holland today said: "We have no statement to make. Mark Hammett is in charge for tonight's game against Treviso."

Hammett had come here with high hopes of transforming the Blues into a major force in European rugby. However, the behind the scenes wrangling came to a head last weekend when his team capitulated during the second half against Munster in Cork, losing 33-16 after being level at 9-9 at the interval.

Crisis talks are understood to have taken place earlier this week with Hammett’s methods having been under question for much of his tenure.

A high-powered player delegation, led by Blues captain Matthew Rees, voiced its concern at the 29-times capped former New Zealand hooker’s punishing training regime early in his reign.

However, the players weren’t exactly coming from a position of strength with the Blues haven’t done much of real note since lifting the Challenge Cup with a stunning victory over star-studded Toulon during the final in Marseilles five years ago.

Hammett's European record 5 Won 1 Lost

Hammett had been brought in to change the losing culture – he had controversially ditched All Blacks stars Ma’a Nonu and Andrew Hore when he was coach of the Wellington-based Super Rugby franchise Hurricanes – but his no-nonsense methods rubbed some up the wrong way here in Wales.

Further discord occurred when Hammett claimed last November he had found preparation methods at the Blues were 15 years behind those used in New Zealand.

Hammett was shocked by how low the average GPS (satellite tracking) readings for distance travelled in training were after his first week with the Blues when compared to those at the star-studded Hurricanes he had left behind to come to Wales.

The straight-talking Hammett, nicknamed ‘Hammer’ Down Under, had expressed his amazement Wales coach Warren Gatland had to put a gruelling fitness regime in place with the national side to get players up to speed for taking on the best teams in the world.

The 42-year-old had said: “I have a big bummer when I hear ‘Gats’ has to bring players in and work the backsides off them for two weeks.

“The All Blacks don’t come in from Super Rugby and you have to get them fit. Because there’s so much depth there’s always a fight for positions.

“It needs to change – I agree with that. I speak for this region and, in the long-term, that’s one of the things we need to get right.

“I’m asking do we have players with the desire to perform week in week out? To play in horrible wet weather and give everything? Do we have the right mix? Those are the questions I’m asking.

“The big thing from a rugby perspective here is the way they train and prepare would be closer to where we were (in New Zealand) 15 years ago as opposed to where we are now.

“That doesn’t mean there aren’t outstanding footballers here in the country, but in terms of raising the whole level, I don’t think our club is quite where we need to be.”

Hammett began his coaching career in 2006 as forwards guru of Super 15 big guns Crusaders, but lost out on the head coaching role to former All Blacks captain Todd Blackadder after Robbie Deans left to coach Australia in 2008.

He took the top job at the Hurricanes four years ago with a remit to change the culture and, if necessary, take draconian measures.

Hammett didn’t seek a new contract from them at the end of last year’s Super 15, choosing to join the Blues as a so-called ‘change manager’ but his methods met with staunch resistance from some.

It’s believed his assistants, former Wales internationals Dale McIntosh and Paul John, will take caretaker charge after Hammett’s departure.

They performed a similar task last season after Phil Davies was fired as head honcho after nearly two years at the helm.