Brain also held coaching roles at Worcester and Bristol

Former player and forwards coach John Brain is back at Gloucester as rugby operations manager.

Brain has agreed a two-year contract after scouting for the club in a temporary capacity since December.

Brain told BBC Gloucestershire: "There is the operations side but having a rugby element to the job is important.

"I can feed in my rugby knowledge to help Carl (Hogg) and Bryan (Redpath). They might disagree at times but hopefully they respect what I say."

Brain made nearly 300 appearances as a lock for Gloucester, before coaching the Gloucester forwards when Philippe Saint-Andre was director of rugby.

His role will include scouting, as well as responsibility for contract negotiations and playing department budgets.

Brain added: "I'm a self-confessed rugby junkie. I enjoy pouring over footage, looking at players and trying to spot something that someone else has missed.

At Worcester I put together a team that not a lot of people had heard of, but that team held together, got into the Premiership and stayed there.

"At Gloucester we have a number of players out of contract next year. I'll be starting my planning in September in terms of recruitment for 2012-13.

If you are in the market for a lot players now for next season you'll have to be lucky to be successful."

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version