Cardiff have confirmed that director of rugby Rudy Joubert has quit the Welsh club to take up what is expected to be the coaching reins at the Bulls Super 12 franchise.

Joubert, who has been with the Blue and Blacks for a year, has opted to activate a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave the club if a Super 12 post became available in his native South Africa.

Cardiff, who reached an agreement with the South African Rugby Union for his release, have appointed former Wales captain Dai Young as head coach.

Young, who is inexperienced in the head coaching role, will work alongside Geraint John. But the club have not ruled out recruiting a new team manager, for which former Wales coach Graham Henry appears to be in line.

Cardiff chief executive Robert Norster, who almost lost Joubert during last season when he applied but failed to get the vacant Springboks job, believes the association has helped the development of both club and coach.

"Rudy's strategic abilities will undoubtedly be missed by the club, and his return to South Africa has come earlier than we expected," he said.

"However, it always was both the club's and Rudy's intention to use our time together to ensure we developed the significant potential within our talented pool of club coaches who we have every confidence will continue the fine work begun by Rudy over the last 12 months.

"I take this opportunity on behalf of many supporters and staff here at the club to wish Rudy every success in his pursuit of greater honours in the game."

Joubert's stock has risen considerably over the past year, and the 41-year-old - a member of the Springboks coaching staff when they won the 1995 World Cup - came close to landing the head coach role after Harry Viljoen quit at the beginning of the year.

Young retired from the international game in November 2001 and effectively called it a day for Cardiff at the end of last year.

He was to continue as a registered player for the coming season and was to concentrate primarily on coaching the forwards under Joubert.