Former New South Wales Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie has joined Stade Francais, the French club has said.

McKenzie was told by the Waratahs in April his contract would not be renewed at the end of the Super 14 after a run of poor performances.

The Waratahs, however, turned around their season and made the final, losing 20-12 to the Canterbury Crusaders in Christchurch last month.

McKenzie, a World Cup winner with Australia in 1991, had been widely expected by local media to join Stade Francais after travelling to meet the club during the Super 14.

Former Stade Francais coach Fabien Galthie also said in April he was leaving the club, intensifying the media speculation in Australia on McKenzie taking the job at the end of the season.

He had also been linked with the vacant head coaching positions at New Zealand's Auckland Blues and Canterbury Crusaders.

Blues coach David Nucifora quit to become the Australian Rugby Union's high performance manager, while Canterbury's Robbie Deans, who missed out on the All Blacks job last year, took over as the head coach of the Wallabies.

Reuters