Cape Town - WP Rugby’s director of rugby Gert Smal looks likely to leave the Cape union and join Jake White's Toyota Verblitz club in Japan later this year.

Netwerk24 reported on Sunday that Smal, whose contract with WP expires in October, also received offers from European clubs but has already decided to join White later this year.

Smal was White's assistant coach at the Springboks between 2004 and 2007.

The 57-year-old was Ireland's forwards coach between 2008 and 2013, before joining WP Rugby as director of rugby in 2014.

He was also head coach of Western Province and the Stormers in the early 2000s.