Gallagher Premiership giants Gloucester have confirmed an approach from the Scarlets for one of their coaches to join the west Wales region next season.
Highly-rated Richard Whiffin is head of the academy at Kingsholm, also working at times with the first team, as well as coaching England Under-20s.
He's worked with the England Saxons side, Premiership new boys London Irish and the Argentina national team.
And Gloucester first team coach Johan Ackermann has confirmed Whiffin has been approached by the Scarlets to become part of Brad Mooar's backroom team, when the New Zealander takes over from Wales-bound Wayne Pivac in the summer.
Crusaders assistant coach Mooar is set to lose Stephen Jones and Byron Hayward from the current Scarlets backroom team, when the former Welsh internationals follow Pivac to the national set-up.
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Whiffin has been in the west country for three seasons after leaving his role as attack coach with London Irish.
And Ackermann confirmed his academy chief has been approached by the Welsh region to become their new skills supremo.
South African Ackermann told Gloucester Live: “I’m aware of that but I don’t want to elaborate on that.
“That’s up to David (Humphreys, director of rugby) and the club to talk about it and make announcements if they need to be.
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“Each individual must decide his own future, where he feels his next growth is. Opportunities only come around so many times and you must decide if it’s the right opportunity, the right time as a coach just as a player.
“If he stays that would be great, it keeps consistency, continuity, but I also understand people move on in life.
“That’s part of being a club that you develop people to get better opportunities in life, just as players get better opportunities so if it happens than we wish him well but like I said I haven’t sat down with Richard myself so we’ll see what the future holds.”
Whiffin is due to head to Argentina next month with the England Under-20s squad for the World Rugby Championships.
“It’s so good to see people get recognition,” said Ackermann.
“It must have been picked up what he’s done with the boys in our academy, what he’s done at England Under-20s and obviously they’ve done their homework.
"So it’s good for him but I don’t want to get too involved in that until it’s official and we know exactly what’s going on so we’ll leave that to David and the club.”
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