Warren fights for his future at Dragons
ADAM Warren admits this has been the most challenging season in his professional career.
The ultra-reliable Dragons centre was looking forward to pushing for a regular starting spot in the the centre at Rodney Parade, especially with the departure to the Scarlets of fellow Welsh international Tyler Morgan.
But then Nick Tompkins and Jamie Roberts, below, arrived to add their talents to the midfield mix. Covid restrictions have made life difficult for all clubs and their players and Warren and his teammates have just emerged from a twoweek lock down.
All of this has been going on against a back ground of 25 per cent pay-cuts for the regional players in Wales. For Warren, it has made his bid for a new contract to extend his stay at the east Wales region into a seventh season and beyond all the more difficult.
“Covid, pay-cuts, no crowds and now contract negotiations – it has been a difficult season,” admitted the 29-yearold who won his only cap in 2013.
“I was hoping that
I’d perform well enough to get a new contract. You are always
unsure of how much money there is in the game at any time, so the only thing you can do is play your best. “There are a lot of people who will probably be out of contract. If the money isn’t going to come into the game you are never sure what is going to happen.
“All you can do is hope for the best and play your best. Just take it week by week, that’s the challenge.” There is little doubt that with 183 regional games under his belt – for his home region, the Scarlets (67), and the Dragons (116) – Warren has a wealth of experience to add to his obvious playing talent. More than anything, he just wants to
keep on playing at the top.
“Playing regularly is my biggest thing. As far as the money is concerned it is what gets you by, but the better you perform the better the offer is,” he added.
“I was hoping it wouldn’t get to the stage where I might get pushed out, but I’m confident Welsh rugby will be able to put something in place.
“There may be further pay-cuts down the line, but fingers crossed that things improve. It was supposed to be just a year and then hope things improve.
“Everyone is hoping it will be a new starting point from next season without the cuts, but who knows.
It is a difficult time for everyone in work and we just have to hope for the best.”