Dean Richards, the former England forward and Harelquins coach, is reported to be on the verge of being appointed Newcastle Falcons director of rugby.
Richards is currently serving a three-year ban following his involvement in the Bloodgate scandal when he was in charge of Harlequins.
His suspension ends in mid-August, when he is expected to take over from current Newcastle coach Gary Gold. Confirmation is expected from Kingston Park by the end of the week.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here