DAVID Dunn has backed high-profile new Lions coach Junior Paramore to help the Bournemouth club achieve its "five-year plan".

The former Samoan World Cup star, who played for his country 26 times, plundering six tries, has joined Dunn's coaching set-up as Lions prepare for life in South West One next season.

But Dunn has his eyes set on a push into the National Leagues - something Paramore helped Luton to do as their coach last term.

Head coach Dunn said: "He's had a fantastic career as a player and he's a very big name to join the club. He's obviously a friend of Robert Todd, who is now well established as part of our coaching team, and he sees the potential of this team.

"He coached Luton last season to promotion from Midlands One to National Three and he's been down to us, liked what he's seen, loved the enthusiasm of the players and made the decision to come down here and be part of our set-up.

"This is year four now of our five-year plan to get to National League rugby and we went into this year with the plan to establish ourselves with a high-profile name as a coach or a player coach."

Paramore was a main-stay in Gloucester's Guinness Premiership squad from 1999-2004, playing 97 top-flight games and burying 33 tries.

The big number eight also turned out for the All Blacks in the 1993 Hong Kong Sevens and joins the current coaching team of former Gloucester and Sale centre Todd, Peter Kennedy and conditioning expert Mark Burley at Chapel Gate.

Dunn added: "The Bournemouth area sells itself as somewhere to live and Junior is very much a family man and I don't think it was that difficult a decision for him in the end.

"Certainly Luton wanted to keep him and continue with them in the National Leagues and I think he'd also been invited back to his former club Bedford to coach, but he decided to move away from that, as did Robert Todd.

"Twelve months ago Robert was offered work at Gloucester and London Irish but he chose to stay here.

"We've got two years left of our five-year plan and we've had two promotions in three years so we've well on the way and the appointment of Junior Paramore can only help that push."