Bernard Jackman Lands Head Coach Role With PRO12 Side

Former Ireland and Connacht hooker Bernard Jackman has been appointed the as the new head coach of the Dragons, the Welsh Rugby Union has announced.

Jackman has been working in France for the last number of years with Grenoble, working his way up to their head coach role. He left that post earlier in the season due to a falling out with the players, but is now back in coaching after a brief spell out.

Jackman will take over at the Dragons from incumbent Kingsley Jones, with Jones in turn appointed to head up the Welsh Rugby Union’s exiles programme. Lions head coach and Wales boss Warren Gatland has applauded the decision.

“Bernard is an ideal fit for the Dragons and I know he will be work diligently and exhaustively to ensure that the set-up both on and off the pitch at Rodney Parade is of the very highest quality,” said Gatland, speaking from the current Lions tour of New Zealand.

“He will be a huge asset to the Region, he will create the right environment to allow a talented group to become even better players at the Dragons and he is someone in whom the supporters will find they can put their trust as he will work tirelessly in his pursuit of success.”

Jackman has also coached at Newbridge and Clontarf RFC and as a player has won the European Cup with Sale Sharks (2002) and both the Celtic League (2009) and the Heineken Cup (2009) with Leinster.

“It is a huge honour for me to be joining the Dragons at such an exciting time in their history,” said Jackman.

“The Region is a hot bed of Welsh rugby and to join at such a significant moment in time is a challenge I relish. I can’t wait to get started and look forward to meeting the playing squad and the backroom team. 

“We are obviously at the beginning of a major period of transition off the pitch, but on it wewill need to quickly get down to work and reward the faith and obvious passion of our supporters throughout the region.”