NEWPORT Gwent Dragons have decided to release hooker James Richards while rival hooker Paul Young has been forced to retire from rugby because of more knee trouble.

Ironically, they were the rivals at Rodney Parade with Newport for three seasons from 2000-2003. Now they finish at the same time.

Young, who missed the second half of last season and part of this with damaged knee ligaments, suffered a similar injury to his other knee in the penultimate game of the season for Newbridge, whom he was helping out on the playing and coaching front.

He had an operation at the end of last week and was advised to finish playing after having a complete reconstruction on the knee he damaged initially.

Richards contested the hooking position pretty strongly with Young, but soon after the start of last season was taken on board by top Zurich Premiership club Leicester to help resolve their hooking problems.

He was released by them at the end of the season and returned to Rodney Parade to join the Dragons where he then competed with Wales number three Steve Jones for most of the season just finished.

But with the Dragons deciding to sign former Wales Under-21s hooker Kieron Crawford for the senior squad as well as Gethin Robinson, who they could well convert from prop to hooker, they had a surplus of players there.

New Dragons coach Paul Turner met with the full squad for the first time last night, though, Rod Snow's testimonial game a week on Saturday apart, it will be his last involvement until pre-season training starts in mid-June.

There is still no sign of any major newcomers to the playing ranks, though a prop, blindside flanker and centre/wing have all been targeted.