Leicester Tigers have appointed Mark Bakewell as the club’s new forwards coach.

New Zealand-born Bakewell has a coaching career spanning 23 years, working all over the world, and will begin work with the Tigers squad this week after moving from Bristol Rugby.

Tigers head coach Matt O’Connor said: “Mark has extensive experience in the game and is very well respected for his work.

“He has coached in Australia and in France, where he was also a head coach, and in England with Bath and Bristol. He is exactly the kind of experienced voice we’ve been looking for to join the coaching team and I’ve been impressed by his approach to the game. We look forward to welcoming his input as part of the coaching team here.”

Following a lengthy playing career with the Eastern Suburbs club in Sydney, Bakewell spent six years there as coach and has since travelled throughout the rugby world.

He was head coach of Brive in France and then forwards coach at Beziers before spending three years in the Premiership with Bath. Subsequent moves have taken him to Melbourne Rebels, Eastern Suburbs again, Tonga and Suntory Sungoliath in Japan.

He has also coached the Barbarians with Steve Hansen and worked with the Australian national team under three head coaches. He has spent the last two years with Bristol, including a season in the Aviva Premiership during 2016/17.

O’Connor added: “I must thank Bristol and their head coach Pat Lam for their co-operation and flexibility in allowing Mark to join us at this stage. It gives him an opportunity to come to the club and start making an immediate impact with the squad and the coaching group.”