Coaches Dai Rees and Shaun Connor back at the Dragons

The Rodney Parade side have increased their investment in the academy, bringing in the experienced pair to work with existing coaches Matt O’Brien and Sam Hobbs.

Director of rugby Dean Ryan, mindful of the financial challenges at the Dragons, is keen to keep providing talent to the senior squad and hopes providing more resources will help bridge the gap to the United Rugby Championship.

“We talked about it being a priority when I first came in and you can see with the quality of people that have come in that it is an area we are really serious about,” said the boss, who is in his third season in charge.

"It's probably the first year that we've invested in the academy in terms of staff to increase the amount of contact time and diligence around the programmes.

“We have been pretty fortunate that we have a raft of youngsters coming through but sometimes they are coming through to a massive jump to what the URC is.

“We've got to create athletes that are ready for that progression, not just someone who is there because there is a heightened level of opportunity at the Dragons due to the size of the squad.

“It's a big year for starting to see that investment and if you are youngster coming into that programme now then you will feel you have a lot of support and attention.”

RETURN: Dai Rees has returned to the Dragons to be part of the academy set-up

Rees played full-back for Abercarn, Newport, Newbridge and Cross Keys before becoming a coach and worked under Paul Turner at the Dragons with responsibility for the backs.

He left for Hong Kong in 2008, initially as national head coach, and spent more than a decade in the Far East until he returned to the UK last year to lead the rugby programme at Seaford College in Sussex.

Rees has roles with Keys, the Black and Ambers and the Wales sevens and age-grade teams on his CV and will now add another spell with the Dragons, developing relationships with clubs and colleges.

Connor, who is backs coach for the Russian national team, is a back for a third spell with the region.

It is a return to working with up-and-coming talent for the former fly-half, who played for Abertillery, Newport, Ebbw Vale and Pontypool before making 29 appearances for the Rodney Parade region between 2008 and 2010.

POPULAR: Coach Shaun Connor has returned to the Dragons

Connor took his first coaching steps with academy talent, initially with the Welsh Rugby Union based at the Ospreys before returning to the Dragons in 2014.

He was promoted to working with the seniors by Lyn Jones and remained part of the set-up with Kingsley Jones and Bernard Jackman until leaving in 2018.

A tough season left Connor wondering whether to stay in the game but the popular coach was reunited with Lyn Jones in Russia, coaching the Bears at the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

“I had probably lost all of my motivation but had a few months off and did a bit of work with Wales Sevens that helped to recharge my batteries,” he said to the Argus three years ago.

“I was looking for something different and then lucky enough this opportunity came up. I jumped at the chance and 2019 was a massive incentive – it’s not often that you get the offer to coach at a World Cup.”