Former Sale Sharks director of rugby Kingsley Jones will stand in as coach of Russia for four or five weeks from next month, the Russian Rugby Union said on Friday.
"It's not yet a hundred percent confirmed, but yes, Jones is to be our attack coach," Russian Rugby Union spokesman Sergei Markov said.
Jones will replace Steve Diamond, who announced his departure from Russia last month during a two-game tour of New Zealand.
The former Wales captain, who left Sale this month, is in South Africa helping the Bulls ahead of the Super 15.
Russia will take part in their first ever World Cup later this year in New Zealand and are keen to find a new attack coach soon. Russia will play in Pool C alongside Australia, Ireland, Italy and the United States.
Russia is in the middle of the 2011 European Nations Cup campaign, a competition for second-tier sides, where they face Romania, Georgia, Ukraine, Portugal and Spain.
"They unfortunately lost last time out against Portugal and they're quite keen to get someone involved as soon as possible," Jones said in an interview on the BBC website.
"At the end of March I'll sit down, I haven't committed to the World Cup with them. I still want to look at what other options are out there," he said.
MOSCOW, February 18 (RIA Novosti)
