Shaun Edwards is set to be unveiled as France's new defence coach on Wednesday, according to media reports across the Channel.
Edwards was Warren Gatland's right hand man in defence throughout the heady times for the Welsh national team, taking in three Grand Slams and their 2013 Six Nations triumph.
Earlier this year it was reported he was poised to stay on with Wales after the Rugby World Cup, working with new head coach Wayne Pivac.
He was set to share duties as part of Pivac's new-look Welsh coaching team with the Scarlets' Byron Hayward and the Welsh Rugby Union reportedly offered him a new contract.
But it was claimed he turned it down because it contained a break clause after two years.
Reports suggested in the summer, the former rugby league great had signed a four-year deal with France, but nothing was said since.
Now with Japan done and dusted, it seems France, who Wales beat to reach the semi-finals of the Rugby World Cup last month, are poised to officially announce Fabien Galthie as Jacques Brunel's successor as head coach and Edwards as their defence chief.
It follows on from Welsh forwards coach Robin McBryde arriving in Dublin this week to join Stuart Lancaster's staff at Leinster, while Gatland has begun he reign as head man at Super Rugby outfit The Chiefs.
Edwards has links with the French national team as their team manager Raphael Ibanez was a former Wasps captain when the 53-year-old was coaching the then London club.
Ibanez is believed to have been involved in talks to hire Edwards after French Rugby president Bernard Laporte put him top of his wanted list.
And respected French media outlet Midi Olympique report Galthie has had a meeting with his new-look French coaching team in Montgesty, in the south west of the country on Monday, with an official announcement due on Wednesday.
Racing 92's Laurent Labit and Thibault Giroud of Toulon, who travelled to Japan with France's head coach Brunel, are set to be retained while former Les Bleus hooker William Servat and Lyon's Karim Ghezal are poised to take charge of the forwards.
Gatland also revealed this week he could have been following Edwards to coach France.
“They’re an untapped giant,” Gatland told the BBC Rugby Union weekly podcast.
“I had some conversations with Bernard Laporte [French Rugby Federation President] about potentially going there after my Wales contract.”
But a potential tie-up was scuppered by France’s clubs voting against a foreigner being allowed to be head coach of the 2023 World Cup hosts.
"I think only about half the clubs voted, so I probably could have ended up in France," said Gatland, who tipped France as the team to beat in this season’s Six Nations.
