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Bristol confirm the exit of assistant coach John Muldoon
Bristol boss Pat Lam will lose his right-hand man John Muldoon to Connacht for the 2023/24 season. The pair first worked together when the former Samoan back-rower took over at the Irish province in 2013, going on to enjoy PRO12 glory as head coach and captain respectively three years later. Lam then exited to take charge at Ashton Gate the following year and Muldoon joined him on the coaching staff in 2018 following his retirement from playing.
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Now they will go their separate ways again as Muldoon has agreed to return to Connacht to work under Pete Wilkins, who is being promoted to head coach with Andy Friend stepping away at the end of this season.
A Bristol statement read: “Forwards coach John Muldoon will depart Bristol Bears at the conclusion of the 2022/23 campaign to rejoin Irish province Connacht. Muldoon, who made 320 appearances for Connacht before joining the Bears as the defence coach in 2018, returns to his hometown club as forwards coach ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
“The 40-year-old was appointed forwards coach at the Bears in 2020, helping the club to a maiden European title and a first-place finish in the Gallagher Premiership.”
Lam said: “When I arrived in Connacht in 2013 and began working with John as my captain, it was clear to me that he would be an excellent coach when his playing days were over and in years to come with his passion and love for his home province a possible great homegrown head coach for Connacht Rugby.
“Originally the plan was to join me at Connacht but after moving to Bristol, I was able to bring him into our coaching team in 2018 for his first coaching role. After five years of experience in the Premiership working and developing players from all over the world, I am so pleased he now returns home as an established forwards coach.
“I know all too well how highly respected and regarded he is in Connacht, and I believe he will continue to grow and learn under head coach Pete Wilkins and will add real value to the players, staff and supporters of Connacht.
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“John has made a significant impact during his time with the Bears, and we are grateful to him for his hard work and commitment for the last five years. We wish him and Lorna and their young boys Scottie, Lucas and Robbie all the very best for their next exciting chapter back home in Galway.”
Muldoon added: “I’m hugely grateful to Pat and the Lansdown family for giving me the opportunity to begin my coaching career. I have learned so much during my time with the Bears and have met some incredible people along the way.
“We have built our family over here and built some strong relationships on and off the field. I’m excited about what the future holds but there is obviously a tinge of sadness around leaving the Bears. I’m looking forward to signing off my time here with a strong finish to the season.”
In a 2019 RugbyPass interview, Muldoon explained why Lam’s coaching methods suited him. “Thankfully, Pat looked after me with a job. I made a lot of mistakes last year, I’d be the first to admit that, but the way Pat coaches, the way he teaches, the way he appreciates the different types of learning, it’s all about the why.
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“Any time we bring in something it’s why we bring it in. He tells the players and explains it to them. For me, as an older player, someone who wanted to be a coach, I really appreciated that instead of some coaches just ramming stuff down your throat with ‘we’re doing this’.
“Pat always explains the why and I appreciate the opportunity he has given me to come over here to cut my teeth at coaching because it’s not the easiest thing to do, to give a player retiring with no experience his very first job in a different country at a club he has never played at.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments