The original 10... so the Prem pioneers?

WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips insists the Dragons are ahead of schedule despite the prospect of the side ending the season with the worst-ever record in Welsh regional history.

Bernard Jackman’s Dragons are set to end their first campaign under WRU control next week. And their record of just two wins and two draws in the Guinness PRO14 means only the South African newcomers Southern Kings have a worse return this season.

The region haven’t won in the PRO14 since beating Southern Kings in Newport last September.

And the 34-32 defeat to Zebre on Saturday extended a three-year losing streak away from home to 33 fixtures, since the Dragons beat Benetton in Treviso in March 2015.

No Welsh region have had such a miserable win ratio since their inception back in the 2003-04 season, and only Aironi (2011) and Southern Kings, to date, have achieved less victories.

While results remain woeful on the field, Phillips is encouraged by the progress made off the pitch led by chairman David Buttress.

“We are probably slightly ahead of where I thought we would be,” Phillips told the South Wales Argus.

“I know there is a lot of attention on performance on the pitch, and that’s got to be a factor, but that’s not where my focus goes, it’s on the foundations and getting the right things in place.

“We have got a board in place that we are pleased with and are delighted with David and the enthusiasm and energy that he has brought.

“The board have a strategy in place now and a very good commercial plan that I have seen in the last few weeks. From a business and commercial perspective we are in very good hands.”

With a major overhaul of the squad coming in the summer with as many as 16 new players arriving, including Welsh internationals Ross Moriarty and Richard Hibbard, Phillips is urging patience.

“The first thing for a coach is always the player roster and some easy and some not-so-easy decisions to be made,” he said.

“Bernard has not shirked that and has grasped the nettle. It’s outside my area of expertise, but he has put a lot of energy into that and there will be quite a different squad for next year.

“My job is looking at whether in three-to-five years something will work, and if I look at a match-bymatch situation I will get lured into the wrong thing.

“Of course, it would have been nice to win a couple more games and next year that will be needed.

“But right from the outset we said it would take three-to-five years to get something moving with solid foundations.” top flight of the Welsh club game having won back-to-back WRU National Championship crowns, but the threeyear ring fencing of the Premiership, means they’re going to have to wait a little longer before completing their phoenix-style rise from the ashes currently second in Division One East Central, four points behind Ystrad Rhondda. THE Blue & Blacks could only manage a fourth-place finish in ‘91, but the season did involve some highlights, however, such as beating league runners-up Llanelli 43–0 at the Arms Park and champions Neath 18-4 away in the last game of the season.

Their next league finish was ninth, which would have led to their relegation, but the WRU decided mid-season to switch to a 12-team Premiership, therefore saving Cardiff and Maesteg from relegation.

In 1995, they lifted the silverware and added to that in 2000 and ‘09.

They currently sit in sixth spot in the Premiership. fifth, but 50 points adrift of champions Pontypool. ANOTHER surprise package that made it to the Premier in its first season.

It was a short stay at the top table and the nadir of the famous old club came when they collapsed nearly two decades ago and they later reformed with clubhouse cohabitants Blaenau Gwent to be called Abertillery BG.

Starting afresh in the league’s bottom division, Abertillery BG worked their way up to Division One East with a squad including the club’s youth and junior products.

But they face relegation back to Division Two this summer, being rock bottom of the One East table.