Jackman plays down Moriarty talk

DRAGONS head coach Bernard Jackman played down speculation his region are on the verge of signing Wales forward Ross Moriarty, saying they would be ‘singing about it’ if it were true.

The Gloucester and British Lions number eight was with his father, ex-Swansea and Wales international Paul Moriarty, at a Newport hotel a few hours before Friday night’s Anglo-Welsh Cup clash between the Dragons and Scarlets at Rodney Parade, which the home side won 23-18.

Reports suggest the Dragons are closing in on the 23-year-old, who is out of contract with Gloucester at the end of the season and is hot property, but Jackman insisted that while they are keen on Moriarty, there is no ‘positive news’ yet.

He also assured that if there was, the Dragons would not be keeping it quiet.

‘Out of respect for all the teams who want to try and sign Ross, he will want to meet everybody. He is definitely going to listen to what they have to say,’ Jackman said.

Moriarty is currently injured with a recurrence of the back problem that saw him miss the Lions tour to New Zealand

Jackman added: ‘The fact that we are being linked with him is irrelevant until we have his signature. We would like to have him but we haven’t.’