Days with Dragons as Gatland joins training
WALES head coach Warren Gatland has been spending time with the Dragons over the last fortnight and it’s understood he’s been helping out with the defence.
In around two weeks’ time, the Kiwi will name what is expected to be 36-man group to face Scotland, Australia, Tonga and South Africa this November.
And while he’s been taking a closer look at what the Dragons players have to offer, he’s also been helping out in sessions.
Dragons boss Bernard Jackman explained what Gatland’s presence at their Ystrad Mynach training base was all about and commended the Welsh Rugby Union for what he suggested was a common-sense approach.
“He was good enough to say that he would come up last week and this week,” said Jackman.
“He’s been there for a bit of mentorship and advice, catch up with the likes of Ross Moriarty, Cory Hill, Elliot Dee, etc, and to check in on Leon Brown, Tyler Morgan and Hallam Amos.”
He added: “I just think it makes sense. There’s no massive plan behind it, it’s just good to have interaction and communication.
“The national coaches have been brilliant since I came here in terms of their visibility. Not just Warren, Robin McBryde, strength and conditioning coaches, physios.
“From what I believe happened in the past, I’ve seen massive strides in terms of collective cohesion and it makes sense.
“It’s the model I would know from Ireland, where Joe Schmidt would be very visible at certain times of the year in the provinces.
“To have Warren here is great for the boys to have opportunities to have a chat with him and have feedback. It’s also good for him to see how we train and give us some pointers as well.”
Dragons flanker Ollie Griffiths has been making headlines with some hard-to-ignore performances recently, thrusting him back into the Wales openside debate after an injury-ravaged 2017/18 season saw him fall away slightly.
Though he insisted that Gatland hadn’t specifically sought him out for a chat in training, despite many believing he is firmly in with a shout of making this autumn’s squad.
When asked if the Wales boss had said anything to him, Griffiths replied: “Nothing really, he said hello and everything.
“He’s been in doing a bit of defence with us and it’s been great.
“It’s nice to have someone of his experience in and it keeps the boys on edge. It gives us that little extra edge in training.”
Dragons skipper Cory Hill, who cocaptained Wales on their summer tour of America and Argentina this year, didn’t play down the significance of Gatland’s presence.
He revealed that the 55-year-old has had a big impact on training, insisting that there isn’t a team in the world that wouldn’t benefit from his input.
“He’s one of the best coaches in the world so he’s going to have an impact on any squad,” said Hill.
“Obviously Warren is in, he’s the national coach and it just ups everyone’s intensity, even if he’s just standing on the side.
“Everyone wants to train better and impress. So, of course, it’s impacted on us massively.”
Meanwhile, Jackman confirmed Dragons are keeping tabs on exciting Merthyr wing Kyle Evans.
“Kyle would be one of 10 or 11 players in the Welsh Premiership that we’re actively tracking, but that’s all it is,” said Jackman.
“I think that’s just smart recruitment. You have to know what’s out there. We’re always looking.”