Former France assistant coach Jacques Brunel will replace Nick Mallett as Italy coach after this year's World Cup it was reported on Monday.

The 57-year-old told his present club Perpignan and the players on Monday that he would be ending his four year stint as coach at the end of the present campaign.

Brunel's replacing Mallett had been trumpeted already by an Italian newspaper on Saturday, though, both the federation and the coach said there had simply been contact between the parties.

Brunel, who guided Perpignan to the French title in 2009 and to last season's final where they lost to Clermont, was assistant coach to Bernard Laporte from 2001 to 2007 which saw them reach the World Cup semi-finals twice, losing on both occasions to England.

Mallett has been in charge of Italy since October 2007 and his contract comes to an end after the World Cup, which is being hosted by New Zealand and runs from September 9 to October 23.

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