London Wasps are set to appoint Tony Hanks as their director of rugby this week even though he had an unsuccessful spell back at the club this season.

The 37-year-old New Zealander spent four months at Wasps while Ian McGeechan, the club's director of rugby and Lions head coach, was allowed to prepare for this summer's threeTest tour of South Africa.

With Wasps now deciding to end McGeechan's contract a year early, they have turned to Waikato coach Hanks to fill the director's role on a permanent basis.

Hanks, who was also at Wasps as a coach under Warren Gatland, had poor results during his second spell at the club.

The club finished without a trophy for the first time in seven years but will qualify for the Heineken Cup if Bourgoin beat Northampton in the Challenge Cup final next week.

Shaun Edwards will remain as head coach while former England prop Trevor Woodman, who is working in Australia, has been offered a coaching post by Wasps.

Asked about the new management set-up, Wasps chief executive, Tony Copsey said: "We will be issuing a statement later this week. I have nothing else to say about the matter."

McGeechan, 62, has been linked with an overseeing role at London Scottish, who have won promotion to the new National One division.

Meanwhile, Wasps' kicking coach Rowly Williams is continuing to work with Super League side Wigan Warriors.

Williams has helped Wigan's Pat Richards becoming Super League's most successful goal kicker for two consecutive seasons and said: "The kicking game has moved on tremendously in League from the days of simply kicking it away on the fifth tackle."