Retired England rugby international Steve Thompson announced on Tuesday that he would be taking up a new challenge at French club Brive.
Following eights seasons with Northampton Saints where the 28-year old amassed 46 European club rugby caps, hooker Steve Thompson is moving to French side Brive where he will assume a coaching and consultancy role.
Thompson had been on the verge of joining Brive, the only French club outside Toulouse to have won the Heineken Cup, from Northampton last January but a serious neck injury forced Thompson to stop playing in April.
He said: "Part of the contract is that I learn French. The great thing about rugby is that it has given me another opportunity and I really want to buy into the culture out there."
Thompson will prepare Brive for Pool 3 of the European Challenge Cup where they will face Connacht Rugby, Spanish side El Salvador and Newcastle Falcons.