Nick Mallett on Wednesday replaced Pierre Berbizier as Italy's national rugby coach.
Former Springboks coach Mallett comes in after Berbizier's pre-announced retirement at the end of the World Cup to return to French club rugby.
Italy narrowly failed to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time, losing by two points to Scotland after a late penalty drifted wide.
The Italian rugby federation said an agreement had been reached with Mallett to become national coach from November 1 - two days after his 51st birthday.
Berbizier announced in April that he would leave his post after the World Cup
Mallett was born in England but moved to then-Rhodesia and South Africa as a child.
He led South Africa to a record winning run of 17 consecutive tests from 1997-98 before resigning in 2000.
Under Berbizier, Italy made major progress on the international stage.
He took charge of the Italian national side in April 2005 after All Blacks great John Kirwan was sacked.
Last season, for the first time, the Azzurri won two Six Nations games, including their first away from home, against Scotland.
As a player, Berbizier won 56 caps for France at scrum-half, captaining the side 11 times.
He made his reputation as a coach when he took France to the semi-finals of the 1995 World Cup in South Africa.
