DRAGONS boss Dai Flanagan has hailed the impact made by a summer new boy in pre-season – and not one of the contenders for the XV.

The Rodney Parade club’s seniors are off this week after completing the first block of preparations for the United Rugby Championship.

They return next week in the countdown to the home derby against the Ospreys at Rodney Parade on Saturday, September 21.

The Dragons will tune up for that fixture with a trio of friendlies against English opposition, welcoming Hartpury University RFC of the Championship to Newport on Saturday, August 31 before trips over the Severn Bridge to face the Premiership pair of Bristol and Bath.

Flanagan has made six senior additions to his squad – hooker Oli Burrows, lock Steve Cummins, blindside Shane Lewis-Hughes, back rower Solomone Funaki, fly-half Lloyd Evans and centre Harry Wilson – and has also made backroom changes.

Filo Tiatia has joined as defence coach and Sam Hobbs has been promoted to forwards coach but the rather more unheralded arrival of new head of performance has been a hit.

“Ryan Chambers has definitely made an impact,” said Flanagan about the new recruit, who spent over 15 years working with the Wales team after initially joining in a strength and conditioning role.

“He is world class and has come from the Warren Gatland era of hard work when Wales were arguably the fittest team in the world.

“Ryan has had some great mentors such as Adam Beard and [Paul] ‘Bobby’ Stridgeon, so having him in our group has been fantastic.

“He has brought the best out of [head of strength and conditioning] Ryan Harris and [senior S&C coach] Wil Bevan and given the scope to lead and do their jobs really well.

“Ryan has come in with fresh ideas and compared where we were at to where world class is, and where we are currently getting to.

“The boys have worked extremely hard – it’s been the hardest that I have seen a group work and I have been around a long time.”

Meanwhile, the Dragons have revamped and enhanced their academy staff.

The new-look set-up will be headed up by head of player development James Chapron who will work alongside academy manager Lewis Roberts and pathway coordinator Cerys Hale, the former Wales prop who hung up her boots at the end of last season.

Former Pontypool coach Tom Hancock has joined the Dragons academy staffFormer Pontypool coach Tom Hancock has joined the Dragons academy staff (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

Jack Condy, formerly Bargoed boss, will be senior academy coach alongside former Newport and Pontypool fly-half Tom Hancock, who has headed east after working with the Scarlets academy and double-winning Llandovery while being head of rugby at Ysgol Dyffryn Aman.

As previously reported, former Dragons forwards coach Ceri Jones is back as academy coach along with Adam Thomas.

Isobel Fisher arrives as head of academy medical services and is joined by academy physiotherapist Lily Jones.

Ellis Brindley continues as head of academy physical performance and Matthew Pole remains in his role as academy strength and conditioning coach while Morgan Akrill starts his second season at the club as academy analyst.

Flanagan said: “We want to produce the very best homegrown players through our pathway system, so the investment and expansion of our academy set-up is an important milestone for the club.

“Having a head of player development in place, alongside an academy manager and pathway co-ordinator, plus the very best coaches, strength and conditioning staff and medics, ensures we have the best team in place for every young Dragon in our system.”