DRAGONS CHIEF BUTTRESS HITS BACK AT THE REGION’S CRITICS
I don’t lie awake at night worrying about people’s perceptions because they are often misconceptions. It doesn’t frustrate me. I sort of understand it a bit because I don’t think there’s enough transparency. In the absence of complete transparency, of course people speculate.
I would rather people be talking about Welsh rugby than not talking about it. So I’m kind of relaxed about that. I have got bigger things to worry about and I know we are doing the right thing for the Dragons. I am going to continue doing that and not get distracted.
Q: HOW DO YOU REFLECT ON DEAN RYAN’S FIRST SEASON AS DIRECTOR OF RUGBY?
A: Dean has definitely exceeded expectations. I believe it’s going to prove to be one of the most important decisions I make.
Dean has a really experienced rugby brain which is what we needed at the Dragons. That knowhow, that experience, how to build successful teams, how to win, how to be competitive. He has been involved in rugby a long time and he adds a lot of value to the board, which he sits on as a director. He’s not just got rugby know-how, but also knows how to build a successful rugby strategy for the long term.
Results have improved, we have become more competitive and hopefully that trend will continue.
Q: What are your opinions about the structure of the season at present and the competitions our four regions play in?
A: Every business I have been involved with, I have passionately cared about the quality of the product. In rugby, and in our league, we need to improve our focus on that.
One of my big frustrations is I feel we could improve the structure of the league.
Playing games on a Friday night when there are internationals on a Saturday is an example of us not making sure the product is the best it can be. I don’t think we should be doing that.
Our product is so important to our supporters and to us as teams. We need to make sure that we get that right. We need to be brave as Welsh regions and work together to push for the change and improvement in the product.
We want a super exciting league. Personally, I would like to see promotion and relegation, whatever the competition. I would love to see that kind of jeopardy involved in the product because I think that’s exciting.
Q: WOULD YOUR PERSONAL PREFERENCE BE FOR A BRITISH & IRISH LEAGUE?
A: I would love to see a version of that. I do think that’s the future.
You need to create as much competitive excitement and localisation as you can. By building a really exciting league structure, we would have a phenomenally interesting product for supporters, sponsors, broadcasters.
I look at our quarter-final that’s coming up against Bristol in the Challenge Cup.
Pre-Covid, it had sold something like 16,000 tickets four weeks before the game was scheduled. It would have been 20-odd thousand for that match.
If you think about that, there’s a ton of appetite and excitement for these teams. We have got to make sure we structure it so we make that excitement for people. That’s the responsibility of people running the game. We need to make sure the product is as great as it can be and that it’s successful. We can’t keep doing the same things over and over again and expecting them to be different. It’s like the definition of insanity.
If I look at CVC’s investment, I feel quite optimistic about how much they will help us to develop and improve the product.
Q: WHEN DO YOU THINK WE MIGHT SEE SUPPORTERS BACK AT RODNEY PARADE FOR DRAGONS MATCHES?
A: I can’t wait to have fans back. I think about the Christmas fixtures and not to have people for a derby breaks your heart. The atmosphere at Rodney Parade is electric.
We will get people back as soon as we can. Let’s see what happens as we move into the autumn, what happens with the virus and pandemic.
We are working closely with the health authority and the Welsh Government and UK Government, so as soon as we can get people back in, we will get them in. Our priority, as is right, is to make sure it is safe to do so, but hopefully as soon as possible.