THERE'S not one former Aussie rugby league coach at Rodney Parade with Newport Gwent Dragons but two.
Head coach Chris Anderson has been joined for the next six weeks by fellow Australian Bob Lanigan, who has been a fitness chief in rugby league all his life.
Lanigan has worked with Paramatta in Australia, Auckland in New Zealand and English team Wigan, specialising in fitness and conditioning work.
Anderson is a good friend and has invited him over to Newport. Laigan arrived last week and will augment the existing team led by Ryan Campbell who did such a good job with the Dragons last season.
"Bob has worked at the highest level for the last 30-40 years, so he's got a lot of experience and knowledge," said Anderson.
"I thought if he could work with our young blokes it would be useful as they haven't had the training years behind them at this level. He'll help with the weights and the running in particular.
"You want the intensity to pick up, it's the only way. Bob has been at the coalface for years now."
Lanigan is not a complete stranger to rugby union having worked with Italy coach John Kirwan, the former New Zealand wing, when he was in Japan some years ago.
Lanigan has completed a few sessions already. "Chris asked me to come and do six weeks to try to take them up to another level, it's quite a challenge," he said.
"There's a lot which can be learned especially now that league and union are more integrated which is a positive thing.
"I am trying to enhance what the Dragons are already doing to try to bring them to another level. It's not re-inventing the wheel and I'm happy to come and do this for six weeks, we'll just take it from there."
Lanigan is already impressed with the facilities in Wales. "The set-up at the Barn (Wales' training headquarters at the Vale of Glamorgan which the Dragons use along with the other regions) is fantastic and the training grounds at Cwmbran are great," he said.
"The Rodney Parade ground looks lovely as well, so we're well catered for." Suggestions that players from Australia or anywhere else are bound for the Dragons are wide of the mark, however. The squad is full and there are no plans to add to it.
Andrew Powell, the former Newport back row forward, has joined Llanelli Scarlets. He has been training at Stradey Park after failing to settle with either French club Beziers or former English champions Leicester.
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