Eddie Jones’ ‘keen eye’ ex-England assistant snaps up ‘immediate effect’ role at Bath following exit of Lee Blackett
Ex-England assistant Martin Gleeson has been recruited by Bath's Johann van Graan to replace Lee Blackett, inset
Bath have named a former Eddie Jones assistant to take over from Lee Blackett, who left last month to join Steve Borthwick’s England.
It was September 13 when the reigning PREM Rugby champions confirmed that attack and backs coach Blackett was leaving for a permanent Test-level role after spending his club off-season touring the Americas in a temporary England position.
Blackett had been recruited to provide coaching cover in Argentina and the USA, with Richard Wigglesworth away with the British and Irish Lions in Australia.
So impressed was Borthwick by what he saw from Blackett that he made it a mission on the England team’s return home to secure the assistant’s services permanently, even though he had signed a contract extension at Bath earlier this year.
“What is not to get excited about…”
A deal was eventually reached to allow Blackett to switch from The Rec to Allianz Twickenham and, 23 days after that move was confirmed, Johann van Graan has now unveiled his recruitment of Martin Gleeson, the ex-England attack coach during the final part of the Jones era.
It was August 2021 when Gleeson was snapped up by Jones after he impressed when assisting Blackett at the since-collapsed Wasps.
Gleeson, though, struggled with the demands of Test rugby and was let go by Borthwick ahead of the 2023 Six Nations following the announcement that Nick Evans would temporarily coach the attack.
This resulted in Gleeson returning to his rugby league roots but he is now back in union, linking up with Bath who have started the new season with back-to-back PREM wins.
A club statement read: “Bath Rugby is delighted to announce the appointment of Martin Gleeson as the club’s new backs and attack coach with immediate effect.
“Gleeson joins having most recently been assistant coach at Warrington Wolves in the Super League. The former rugby league player, who represented both Great Britain and England, has previously coached in rugby union with Wasps and the England senior men’s rugby team under Eddie Jones.”
Gleeson said: “What is not to get excited about. I have been watching with a keen eye the team that Johann has put together and the journey they have been on over these last couple of years.
“There are a lot of people here that I already know, so that was a big factor behind me coming here, and I am really looking to building on what Lee has put in place.”
Van Graan, the Bath head of rugby, added: “We are excited that Martin has joined our journey and we are looking forward to what he will add to this team of ours.”
