IRISHMAN MIKE PRENDERGAST has been appointed attack coach of French club Oyonnax ahead of the 2017/18 season.
Oyonnax are the current leaders of France’s second division, Pro D2, and are expected to be promoted into the Top 14 for next season.
Prendergast will join the club from current side Grenoble, where he has been since joining as a skills coach in 2013.
The Limerick man progressed into a role as backs coach in recent seasons, working alongside Bernard Jackman, who parted ways with Grenoble this week.
Jackman’s departure has left Prendergast in charge at Grenoble, along with and fellow Irish assistant coach Aaron Dundon, but he will leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
Prendergast was a scrum-half for Munster, Bourgoin and Gloucester during his playing career, before moving into a role as director of rugby at Young Munster RFC after retiring.
The move to Oyonnax next season will give 39-year-old Prendergast an opportunity to take control of the club’s entire attack.
Prendergast will work alongside sporting director Adrien Buononato next season, while Oyonnax will name a new defence coach on Monday.
The club has also announced that they have agreed a contract with a new set-piece coach, but the deal will only kick in if they are promoted into the Top 14.
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