Former Ireland international Bernard Jackman lands role with English PREM club

New role.

Bernard Jackman is returning to professional club rugby after taking up a new position with Bristol Bears, according to The 42.

The former Ireland and Leinster hooker has been recruited as the PREM Rugby club’s new head of recruitment and will work alongside director of rugby Pat Lam.

The move represents Jackman’s first full-time position within a professional rugby club for several years.

His previous coaching career took him to France, where he worked with Grenoble, before he later became head coach of the Dragons.

Since leaving the Welsh region, Jackman has combined a prominent media career with a number of roles outside the professional game.

He has worked with Horse Sport Ireland as head of high performance and also returned to coaching with Dublin club Bective Rangers.

Jackman replaces Gethin Watts, who ended his seven-year spell with Bristol last month, and his appointment is expected to be formally confirmed by the Bears next week.

He arrives ahead of a new campaign in which Bristol will be looking to bounce back after missing out on the Premiership play-offs last season.

The Bears finished sixth in the table before their European campaign was brought to an emphatic end by Toulouse in the last 16 of the Champions Cup.