Bernard Jackman

Bernard Jackman
Birth nameBernard Jackman
Date of birth (1976-05-05) 5 May 1976 (age 48)
Place of birthTullow, Republic of Ireland
Height1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Weight115 kg (18 st 2 lb; 254 lb)[1]
SchoolNewbridge College
UniversityDublin City University
Rugby union career
Position(s) Hooker
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Tullow RFC ()
Newbridge (Ireland) ()
County Carlow FC ()
Lansdowne ()
Clontarf FC ()
1999–2001 Sale Sharks 23 ()
2001–2002 Clontarf FC ()
Provincial / State sides
Years Team Apps (Points)
1997–1999 Connacht 18 (5)
2002–2005 Connacht 52 (20)
2005–2010 Leinster 91 (20)
Correct as of 5 December 2014
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
Ireland A 4
2000–2008 Ireland 9
Correct as of 5 December 2014
Coaching career
Years Team
2011–2016 FC Grenoble (Forwards Coach)
2016–2017 FC Grenoble (Head Coach)
2017–2018 Dragons (Head Coach)
2019-2024 Bective Rangers FC (Head Coach)

Bernard Jackman (born 5 May 1976) is an Irish former rugby union player who played for Connacht, Leinster and Sale Sharks. At international level, he has also played for Ireland. He released his autobiography, Blue Blood in 2011. He was dismissed as the head coach of Welsh Pro14 side the Dragons in December 2018. Jackman is the former head coach of Bective Rangers FC (2019-2014).[2]

Early life

Born 5 May 1976, Tullow, County Carlow, Ireland, Jackman was educated at College and Dublin City University where he studied a degree in business studies and Japanese.

Playing career

Club rugby

Jackman was persuaded by Warren Gatland to turn professional and subsequently had two spells playing for Connacht. In between he also played for Sale Sharks, helping them win the 2001–02 European Challenge Cup.[3][4][5][6][7] he

In 2005 Jackman signed for Leinster. A broken leg hindered his early Leinster career but he eventually established himself as a first team regular. He was a prominent member of the team that won the 2007–08 Celtic League title and he also earned himself a recall into the senior Ireland squad.[4][5][8] He retired from the professional game after a concussion injury in 2010. Bernard Jackman has become an acting ambassador for Acquired Brain Injury Ireland, standing strongly behind the concussion awareness campaign 'Mind your Head in Sport'.[9] John Fogarty another Leinster Hooker had to retire with a similar concussion injury soon after.[10]

Ireland international

Jackman represented Ireland at U19, U21 and college levels and captained Ireland A before graduating to the senior Ireland team. He was included in the squad for the 1998 tour of South Africa but was not capped. He was capped twice during the 2005 tour of Japan and won two further caps during the 2007 tour of Argentina. He was also included in Ireland's 2008 Six Nations Championship squad and featured in all five games.[4][11]

Coaching career

Jackman has coached several junior Leinster teams, including Tullow RFC, Newbridge RFC and Coolmine RFC. He has guided Newbridge to victory in both a league title and the Lalor Cup.[12][13] In May 2009, he was appointed Director of Rugby and forwards coach of Clontarf FC.[14]

In 2011 he was appointed on a consultancy basis as skills and forwards coach with FC Grenoble and made full-time for the 2012/2013 season. In June 2016, following the departure of Fabrice Landreau, he became Head Coach of FC Grenoble.[15] In March 2017, with the club bottom of the Top14 Jackman left Grenoble.[16] Grenoble were subsequently relegated at the end of the 2016–17 season.

For 2017–18, he became head coach at the Dragons in Wales. Jackman parted company with the Dragons in December 2018 after 18 months in charge.

In May 2019, Jackman was announced as the new head of coaching of Bective Rangers FC, a Dublin-based club and one of Ireland's oldest existing rugby clubs. On his appointment to Bective Rangers, Jackman said "I always found Bective to be a club with great people and having helped out the squad at the end of [last] season I think they have the potential for future success”.[17] Jackman stepped down from Bective after the 2023/2024 season to focus on his role as Head of Performance with Horse Sport Ireland.

Honours

Sale Sharks

Leinster

Books

  • Blue Blood – The Bernard Jackman Autobiography, ISBN 0-9563598-2-5

References

  1. ^ "Bernard James Jackman". ESPN scrum. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. ^ Casey, Gavan. "Bernard Jackman takes reins at Bective Rangers in bid to steer them back into AIL". The42.ie. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  3. ^ "Tullow Rugby Club". Tullow Rugby Club. Archived from the original on 25 July 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  4. ^ a b c Bernard Jackman. "Player profile". Irish Rugby. Archived from the original on 27 February 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  5. ^ a b Wildman, Rob (7 February 2008). "Bernard Jackman relishes starting place". London: Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  6. ^ "Sale sign Jackman". BBC News. 3 July 2000. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  7. ^ "Player information". European Rugby Cup. Archived from the original on 17 March 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  8. ^ Bernard Jackman. "Player profiles". Leinster Rugby. Archived from the original on 27 September 2008. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  9. ^ [1] [permanent dead link]
  10. ^ "It affects every facet of your life. It takes from you. I'm a different person when this is bad". Irish Independent. 30 November 2012.
  11. ^ "Player profiles". Irish Rugby. Archived from the original on 22 November 2007. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  12. ^ [2] [permanent dead link]
  13. ^ "Coolmine Rugby Football Club". Coolmine RFC. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
  14. ^ Gerry Thornley (23 May 2009). "'We won't be seeing the back of him just yet'". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012. Retrieved 19 September 2009.
  15. ^ "Top 14 (Grenoble) : La lettre de Bernard Jackman aux supporters". 'L'Équipe'. 19 June 2016. Retrieved 28 February 2017.
  16. ^ "Bernard Jackman to leave Grenoble with immediate effect". Irish Independent. 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.
  17. ^ "Head of Coaching Announcement". Bectiverangers.com. 14 May 2019. Archived from the original on 22 October 2019. Retrieved 29 October 2021.