Dragons appoint Bernard Jackman as their new coach

Bernard Jackman has been appointed as the new coach of the Dragons starting next Monday.

Jackman will take over from incumbent Kingsley Jones, with Jones in turn appointed to head up the Welsh Rugby Union’s exiles programme. The WRU will assume operational control of the Dragons and their Rodney Parade home on 1st July.

The appointment of Jackman is the first milestone moment in a new direction for the Dragons team in direct partnership with the WRU. A former Irish international hooker Jackman played in the Connacht side coached by Warren Gatland which reached the European Challenge Cup quarter-finals in the late 90s and he arrives in Wales with the highest of recommendations from the British & Irish Lions and Wales head coach.

Jackman was previously head coach of Top 14 side Grenoble before leaving in March this year, he 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.