Ibanez, who won 72 caps and captained France to Five Nations Grand Slams in 1997 and 1998, has agreed a two-year deal.

He will fill the Wasps front-row vacancy created by Trevor Leotas summer departure and could line up against his former club in the champions league season opener at Twickenham on September 3.

Raphael Ibanez is the missing piece in the puzzle, said Wasps forwards coach Craig Dowd. He gives us the experience factor.

The front-row signings we made in the summer gave us plenty of brawn, youth and enthusiasm. Add to that the wealth of experience that Raphael Ibanez has as a former captain of France and that is exactly what we want.

He is a great player, and he is looking to get back to his very best form with us.

Ibanez, 33, also skippered France when they reached the 1999 World Cup final, and his former clubs include Dax, Perpignan and Castres.

I am the first French player to sign for Wasps, and I consider this a great honour, he said.

I want to give my best to this club, training and playing hard. I am looking forward to playing alongside some fantastic players and achieving the high standards that the coaching staff and players set at Wasps.