Dave Ellis, the Yorkshireman whose coaching with France has helped undermine England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales in recent Six Nations is about to do the same thing against the Lions after accepting an invitation to work with the All Blacks.

Ellis, a former rugby league player with Castleford and in Queensland, will spend a month in New Zealand either side of France's tour to South Africa and Australia this summer. He has been the French defence coach for almost five years during which time they have won two grand slams.

The All Black head coach Graham Henry made initial inquiries after France's 45-10 defeat by New Zealand in Paris in the autumn, followed up by a meeting with Wayne Smith, one of Henry's deputies, at Gloucester, where Ellis also coaches. The deal was finally settled at the weekend.

"I was available to the Lions and met [Sir] Clive Woodward when he was watching France prepare for the Blacks," said Ellis. "We had a chat and he sent me a couple of emails asking advice on how to beat the Blacks and what team I'd select, but after that I heard nothing.

"What I do is nothing different from Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas, the Wales guys who now choose to play their rugby in France. It was Bernard Laporte [the France coach] who gave me the opportunity of working with rugby union before Philippe Saint-André brought me to Gloucester when he was here.

"I go where I'm wanted. I would have gone with the Lions had they asked and to be honest was a little disappointed when they didn't."

Ellis flies to New Zealand in two weeks' time - after Gloucester's commitments in the Premiership wildcard play-offs for the final European place - initially to work with the New Zealand coaches before the All Black trials. He then links with France as they prepare for South Africa and will fly to Auckland in the run-up to the Lions third Test on July 9 after France's final Test of the summer in Australia.