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Bernard Jackman landed low-key new job the same day Dean Ryan took his old one
Former Dragons boss Bernard Jackman has stuck his head back above the parapet on the same day Dean Ryan was officially announced as his successor at Rodney Parade.
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Recruited by the Welsh from the RFU, Ryan was given charge on Tuesday of the whole shooting match at Rodney Parade as, unlike Jackman’s time at the club, his director of rugby role includes a seat on their board.
In contrast to that professional game appointment, Jackman resurfaced later that day in Dublin with a grassroots club that has fallen on hard times of late. Bective Rangers used to be an annual presence in the senior level All-Ireland League.
However, they now ply their trade in the top flight of the Leinster Junior League and Jackman has been appointed to return them to senior status.
This level of rugby isn’t alien to the former Leinster and Ireland hooker. The former Clontarf AIL coach has previously had junior level stints at Tullow, Newbridge and Coolmine before embarking on a professional team career that saw him initially move from a monthly consultancy at Grenoble into various full-time roles all the way up to head coach before leaving in March 2017 and reappearing in Wales some months later.
We are delighted to announce this evening that Bernard Jackman has joined Bective as the new Head of Coaching for the coming season.https://t.co/HDXTyl2pDz@bernardjackman #LetsGoRangers #irishrugy #leinsterrugby #FromTheGroundUp #rugbyunion pic.twitter.com/aVpyIrL8lZ
— Bective Rangers FC (@BectiveRangers) May 14, 2019
He lasted just 18 months at Rodney Parade before having his three-year deal cut short and while he initially held out hopes of perhaps picking up an assistant’s role somewhere in Europe, he has now decided to step down the ladder to coach at junior level at home in Ireland.
“I’m excited for this new challenge and can’t wait to get started,” he said. “I always found Bective to be a club with great people and having helped out the squad at the end of the season, they have the potential for future success.”
Bective director of rugby Emmet Sheridan added: “After a thorough search, we are delighted to have secured Bernard as head of coaching. We know Bernard will establish the structures and processes required to bring Bective back to the AIL.”
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WATCH: The RugbyPass documentary on Bernard Jackman’s first pre-season with the Dragons
