Jackman to take charge at Dragons
Former Grenoble boss Bernard Jackman has been appointed as the new head 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 – a role which will utilise his rugby knowledge and experience to identify and recruit new talent to the professional game in Wales.
The WRU will assume operational control of the Dragons and their Rodney Parade home on July 1 – after Newport RFC shareholders voted through highly publicised plans on May 9 – but, already, significant collaborative work on strategy and planning has been ongoing behind the scenes at the region, including planned upgrades to facilities and installing a new hybrid pitch.
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 and Irish Lions and Wales head coach.
A review of the coaching set up at the Dragons was undertaken by Stuart Davies and Martyn Phillips and involved Geraint John, Head of Professional Rugby at the WRU and Wales and British and Irish Lions Head Coach, Gatland.
“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 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.
“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 we will need to quickly get down to work and reward the faith and obvious passion of our supporters throughout the region.”