CHRIS KIRWAN: Getting Dragons playing like fast Bears a challenge for Ryan

Not many get the opportunity to sign off on their own terms and walk out the front door rather than the back, as evidenced at Rodney Parade.

Paul Turner achieved some great things over six years, turning the Dragons into a tough team that relished downing those with bigger budgets and more star names when they headed to Newport.

It all ended rather sadly with the head coach suspended ahead of an Anglo-Welsh Cup return to his old club Sale after slamming the national team over an injury to Dan Lydiate and then getting embroiled in a spat with a journalist.

Perhaps it was an accident waiting to happen after the former fly-half had been ground down by battles with the Rodney Parade board.

Lyn Jones also achieved some pretty good things, leading the region to what would now be considered a fine league campaign in 2014/15 (P22, W8, L14) in the same season as masterminding the journey to the semi-finals of the European Challenge Cup with memorable wins at Stade Francais and Newcastle before the last-eight win against Cardiff Blues.

The following year he was at the helm when the Dragons qualified from a tough pool before his messy ending ahead of the quarter-final win at Gloucester.

Bernard Jackman can’t be bracketed with that pair after being dismissed halfway through his three-year contract and failing to deliver highs to rival those provided by Turner and Jones.

However, the end of the Irishman’s reign means that we forget how promising the start of it was, when the rugby was fast and encouraging.

The best win of Jackman’s time was the European hammering of Bordeaux-Begles at Rodney Parade, a five-try success that almost earned a quarter-final spot.

However, I’d argue the best performance was the Cardiff Blues game at the Arms Park when the Dragons were dreaming of a famous win at half-time.

They played delightful rugby to lead 21-10 at the break thanks to tries by Adam Warren, Elliot Dee and George Gasson only to run out of steam. Defeat hurt but it was a display to give encouragement.

Jackman talked about training at a higher pace and getting the squad fitter so that they could sustain that sort of rugby.

But perhaps the head coach went too fast and was too ambitious with sweeping changes; a young squad ended that season enduring damaging defeats.

There were promises of a better second year but Jackman didn’t even make it to Christmas.

Yet similar words were said at the start of the former Leinster hooker’s reign as those uttered about the desired style under ex-England back row forward Dean Ryan.

Jackman said he wanted high tempo ball-in-hand rugby, attacking space, offloading, avoiding contact and striking from deep.

The players are saying the same is the demand from Ryan with the director of rugby wanting them to up the pace and back themselves in attack.

Celtic Cup coach Luke Narraway said after Saturday’s loss at Cardiff Blues that they need to “be braver”.

“Our DNA is going to be high-tempo, attacking rugby and sometimes where the pressure comes on through the scoreline you can go away from playing,” he said.

Ryan has been around the block, he is no mug and is shrewd enough to know the limitations of his squad, both in terms of quality and quantity.

On that front he is helped by having something that was high on Jackman’s wishlist – a Test fly-half.

Sam Davies is a lovely operator and should provide the Dragons with control but he is also an attacker who has time on the ball, glides when on the run and snap out passes.

Things seem to come easy to him but he also has a fine left peg that can help the Dragons win the battle in the middle third of the pitch.

Dragons supporters want to be entertained but they also want a return to their team being greater than the sum of its parts.

Ryan is savvy enough to know that won’t just happen from just playing with the handbrake off in carefree fashion in league rugby and maybe he is looking at one of his former sides for inspiration.

Bristol returned to the English Premiership with a bang thanks to Pat Lam’s high-octane rugby but also the culture of the club and their tenacity.

The challenge for Ryan is to get the Dragons playing like the rapid Bears, and that may take time.

WHETHER in windy Galway, chilly Edinburgh or drizzling Cork, a warm greeting then a cheery farewell were guaranteed when passing the van with the Dragons logo.

It’s the end of an era at Rodney Parade after kitman – or logistics manager if you want to be posh – Jeremy Vizard hung up his final jersey.

The response from Dragons players past and present on social media after his exit speaks volumes about the impact that the big man, clad in shorts whatever the weather, has made at the region.

Kitmen are vital in professional sport, looking after the little things that add up for those that take to the field. They are in a position of trust, witnessing the what goes on behind the scenes and keeping their mouth zipped.

Viz never betrayed that trust and leaves the Dragons with plenty of untold stories… stories that many will hope never get told!

But despite me being a journalist he was never standoffish, perhaps because we shared so many of those long, usually fruitless, trips.

My journeys are easy in comparison – ridiculously early flights then onto a coach rather than enduring hours in a jam-packed van then a ferry on choppy waters.

It’s fair to say that we are both men that love a grumble but the presence of Viz brightened up those away days, wishing each other a safe journey back as we went off into the night after witnessing a defeat.

Nobody is irreplaceable and the Dragons will no doubt have plenty of applicants wanting to step into the big boots, but they will struggle to hack it as long as the stalwart.

It won't quite be the same in Limerick at the end of the month but perhaps it's a Viz masterstroke designed to prompt sod's law.

After racking up the miles for all those PRO14 away defeats, driving back with humming kit in the back of the van, finger crossed he'll miss a victory.