Colin Charvis will be heading for the French Pyrenees

The back row, who leads his country in a World Cup quarter-final against England on Sunday, is thought to have agreed to join Tarbres.

If the Pyrenees club, currently mid-table in the French second division, has signed Charvis it will be a major coup.

The 30-year-old has signed a contract until July 2004, according to a source at the south-western club, although it was thought that Tarbres were short of money.

"The president of Tarbes, Jacques Parrene, has confirmed that Charvis has signed until July," said journalist Christophe Lhosteclu of the regional paper La Depeche du Midi.

"It's surprising because they've had financial problems, but they've found sponsors who will pay his wages.

"He's going to have a fortnight's rest and it's expected he'll play his first match at La Rochelle on the 29th."

Charvis was a free agent after agreeing to be made redundant when former club Swansea went into administration last season.

Charvis, who will win his 63rd cap in Brisbane on Sunday, missed out on a contract with one of the new Welsh regional sides after being rejected by the Ospreys.