The 33-year-old spent most of yesterday in talks with the club and says he is looking forward to the challenge of helping to try and get Bristol back in the Premiership. Dave was reported to jbe on his way to Worcester but the prospect of a return to his first club in a coaching role looks to have swayed the former Glasgow favourite. He played all his junior rugby in the city, and still has his family home in the city and his father still runs their butcher's business in Knowle.
"This would be my first coaching role but I have played under coaches like Jim Telfer, Ian McGeechan, Andy Robinson, Jack Rowell and Clive Woodward so I hope to be able to pass on some of that vast experience. It's a big challenge, I am looking forward to it. I think the club are looking to move in the right direction by recruiting home-grown players who have been brought up in Bristol and have a passion to play for the club."
"This is a big step for me, " he added. "We don't have as big a budget as other sides and we have to choose our players carefully. The players we bring in have to be able to do the job. I want to be here and help Bristol look to the future. Being an international I have always been able to voice my ideas in training and that is something I will encourage the players to do."