LONDON Irish have secured the services of former Ireland assistant coach Mark Tainton for the forthcoming season.

He will be the Exiles’ new skills coach.

Tainton has previously held roles with Richmond, Oxford University and Munster before being appointed assistant coach of Ireland in 2003, where he worked specifically as a technical kicking coach with Ronan O’Gara and Jonny Sexton.

He is a former fly-half who played with Bristol for 13 years and was capped at both England A and under-23 level.

He joins London Irish having previously held a consultancy role with Welsh region side Scarlets.