Declan Kidney was a guest of the Newport Gwent Dragons at their Celtic League win over the Cardiff Blues last night fuelling speculation that he will be appointed coach of the Welsh side.
The former Munster boss, who is out of contract with the IRFU, had been linked with vacancies at Ulster and Leicester but the Dragons have targeted him as the perfect successor to Mike Ruddock who takes up the reins with Wales next month.
Kidney is eyeing a move outside of Ireland in order to stay in front-line coaching after being offered a desk job with the IRFU. He is one of three candidates for the Dragons job but is considered of higher caliber than the two other applicants.
The Dragons are expected to appoint there man next week and should Kidney land the job he will have a stiff task on his hands. Despite victories over Ulster and Stade Francais at home in the Heineken Cup, they finished bottom of their pool following heavy defeats to the two named and Leicester.