Gatland’s on-hands role in new vision at Dragons
WARREN Gatland will conduct training sessions at the Dragons when he returns to Wales following the Lions’ tour of New Zealand.
His hands-on role was among a number of measures announced by the Welsh Rugby Union in its detailed vision for the Gwent region following its recent purchase of the entity. They include: The region now officially being called Dragons following the ditching of Newport Gwent from its name with a new logo having been drawn up;
The installation of a hybrid pitch at Rodney Parade at cost of £700,000 with it scheduled for completion ahead of tenants’ Newport County’s first home Football League match of the coming season;
A three-year road-map for success with the opening 12 months of the new company seeing the appointment of a new board and chairman with a firm focus on representing Gwent’s 73 clubs;
The objective by 2020 for the Dragons to be playing in front of larger home crowds, performing better on the pitch and be making an important contribution to the club, junior, community and amateur scene throughout the Gwent.
WRU chief executive Martyn Phillips, Dragons chief executive Stuart Davies and new coach Bernard Jackman, the former Ireland hooker, outlined the plans at a press conference at the region’s Newport lair.
And Davies revealed they will probably play some home matches away from Rodney Parade following the success of last season’s Guinness Pro12 derby with Cardiff Blues, which was staged at Caerphilly RFC.
The 2020 Dragons – they had 27 players from Gwent on their books last season – are expected to be made up predominantly of Welshqualified players, with a handful of ‘marquee’ signings from outside to bring in experience and increase competitiveness if necessary.
Former Grenoble coach Jackman’s ambition, which mirrors that of Wales coach Gatland, is for the Dragons side to be more skilled, more powerful, more explosive and boast a high-quality back-room team, while producing a pipeline of Welsh internationals and Lions.
“We will be taking the team out to the region at large and ensuring we are visible amongst all of the clubs in Gwent,” said the former Connacht and Leinster star.
“We will be ensuring we are accessible to supporters, clubs and players throughout the region.
“Producing home-grown talent is a primary ambition for any successful sports team and it will be vital to the long-term success of the Dragons.”
Gatland is booked in to lend his expertise to pre-season training sessions and WRU head of rugby Geraint John is working closely with Jackman on player recruitment, with Welsh exiles and young Welsh talent high on the wish-list.
“We are ready to put the first spade in the ground on the new pitch and have plans in place to further improve the facilities at Rodney Parade,” said Phillips.
“We are extremely fortunate to be able to consult with the likes of Warren and rest of the national squad coaching set-up and we are confident we have the best man for the job in Bernard.”
Former Wales and Swansea No.8 Davies beamed: “These are exciting times for us at the Dragons. We have a new momentum with the advent of WRU involvement.
“We plan to be Gwent-centric off the pitch too, where we have a role to play beyond rugby. We need the support of rugby fans throughout the region and we are determined to be filling Rodney Parade to its rafters by 2020.
“We know that if we get it right on and off the pitch the supporters, and also investors, will follow to the benefit of all. We have given ourselves three years to do it, but the process starts now.”