DRAGONS boss Dai Flanagan has vowed to get more out of his coaches after confirming they are all staying on for next season.

Flanagan arrived from the Scarlets as head coach last summer and took over at the helm after director of rugby Dean Ryan was sacked after just one game.

The former fly-half inherited the management team but is sticking with them for 2023/24.

That means a return for Simon Cross (defence), Mefin Davies (forwards coach with responsibility for scrum) and Luke Narraway (forwards with responsibility for lineout).

Matt O’Brien was promoted from a role with the academy to being attack coach while also playing for Newport RFC.

The fly-half missed Dragons games when they clashed with Black and Ambers fixtures in 2022/23 but that will change next season.

There will be an age-grade rejig after the departure of academy boss Dai Rees after two seasons in the role.

After a testing campaign that was impacted by off-field chaos, Flanagan wants to see how his coaches fare in more settled times.

South Wales Argus: Dragons head coach Dai FlanaganDragons head coach Dai Flanagan (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“We have rolled everybody over into new contracts early because I want to see them freed up,” said the head coach.

“I enjoy working with this staff and everybody is here next year. It’s important that they are given a new lease of life, the same as the players, after all the change at the club.

“I challenge them daily and there is quality in there, so it’s on me to get it out.”

Flanagan feels that he will truly be able to put his imprint on the Dragons over a long off season, with the next competitive game in October due to the World Cup.

He arrived last summer and took the lead in training sessions but Ryan had the final say in Ystrad Mynach.

“I was second in command for the first few months, where you get your foundations, set expectations and your standards,” said Flanagan.

“To try to do that along the way has been interesting, and I feel we've had a good reaction and we just haven't been able to get results.

"It's drawing a line in the sand now, it becomes more mine and I will put my stamp on things. We will train differently… we have to because we don’t win enough games.”

Flanagan had a record of five wins, a draw and 16 losses from 22 games in charge and is confident he can drive improvement after finishing one-from-bottom in the URC.

The former Ospreys and Cardiff fly-half said: “One of my biggest hinderances as a player was I always had a lot of questions over whether I was good enough, and I always trained and played with a bit of 'should I be here?'.

"I've never questioned myself coaching-wise. I have a different belief in my ability as a coach than I ever did as a player.”