Elliot Dee: Happy Dragons can make strides under Dai Flanagan

The Rodney Parade club face a long pre-season before returning to action in the United Rugby Championship on October 21, a late start due to the World Cup.

Dee is hoping to link up with his Dragons teammates even later as he is one of four hookers fighting for three spots in the Wales squad that will head to France 2023.

Plenty of hard work is ahead at Ystrad Mynach in the bid to improve on another disappointing campaign featuring just four wins and a draw from 21 games.

However, that was an improvement on the nightmare 2021/22 when there were just two successes with morale at a low under Dean Ryan.

The director of rugby was sacked a week into this season and Dee, who didn’t see eye to eye with the former England forward, believes the signs are encouraging under Flanagan.

Dragons head coach Dai Flanagan (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“It is a happier camp, 100 per cent,” said the 29-year-old from Newbridge. “There is no bad atmosphere coming into work.

“The boys are enjoying learning and you will get the best out of people when they enjoy going to work.

“Dai has made a very positive environment that is good for learning; he keeps things fresh and rotates the team to get the best out of everyone.

“I know we have said it a lot in the past, but I don’t think we are far away from things clicking and getting a lot more results.”

Dee signed a fresh contract – something that looked unlikely to happen under Ryan – and is optimistic about more improvement next season.

He has witnessed summer hope turn into autumn despair at Rodney Parade too often but believes they can turn narrow defeats into tense victories.

Dragons hooker Elliot Dee (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“Judgement Day was great for us but it was quite frustrating that it was the last game of the season,” said Dee.

“We really hit our stride against the Scarlets and if there were a few more games left we probably could’ve picked up some more results.

“The season was up and down with a lot of uncertainty, not just at the Dragons but the whole of Welsh rugby. We’ve got to look to put things right next season and we have to step up a bit.”

Dee played for a World XV against the Barbarians at Twickenham before heading to Wales camp.

The hooker won the last of his 41 caps against Australia in November 2021 and will hope to add to that tally in the warm-up fixtures against England (home and away) and South Africa.