THE next generation of Dragons have been learning from the best after an audience with All Blacks legend Sam Whitelock.
The two-time World Cup winner is in the UK to publicise his book ‘View from the Second Row’.
The former lock, who retired at the end of last season having won 153 caps for New Zealand, had a speaking function at Rodney Parade on Tuesday night.
The 35-year-old then returned to offer tips and insight to head coach Dai Flanagan, academy coach Jack Condy and a selection of young Dragons.
Wales lock Ben Carter, blindside Ryan Woodman, centres Aneurin Owen and Harri Ackerman, hooker Brodie Coghlan and fly-half Harri Ford were present.
Summer signing Steve Cummins played with the iconic forward at Pau and helped secure a talk by Whitelock.
“We made contact with Sam to talk to our next generation of talent and really inspire them,” said Flanagan, whose senior squad are currently on a week off during pre-season training.
“You don’t get as many caps for the All Blacks as Sam had without doing the hard work and the understanding of what it takes and to pass on that knowledge is invaluable to some of our players.
“They learnt what it takes to get there, a world class performer, who’s been in an elite performance environment but also it doesn’t come easy.
“There are little arts to it and subtleties to it where you can get your massive wins and some of the stuff they’ve learnt off Sam they’ll see through the rest of their career.
“We want to put our players around some of the best players in the world and an opportunity came up to bring Sam in to speak with them and that’s invaluable. The lessons they learned will help them for the rest of their careers.”
Flanagan and Condy, the former Cross Keys back rower who went on to play for the Scarlets before a career-ending injury, also got to pick his brains.
“He’s been awesome for me, he’s been in some of the world’s best environments and coached by some of the best coaches in the world and I’m trying to steal and learn off some of the best people in the world," said Flanagan, who has previously linked up with Scotland through his friendship with former Scarlets coach Brad Mooar.
“It was an opportunity for not just the players but for myself and an academy coach (Jack Condy) to steal and learn to adapt and improve.”
The Dragons return for pre-season training next week as they ramp up preparations for the first friendly against Hartpury University RFC.
They host the English Championship side at Rodney Parade on Saturday, August 31 (kick-off 2.30pm) before short trips over the border to face Premiership opposition.
Flanagan's men take on Bristol Bears at Clifton RFC on Friday, September 6 (kick-off 7.30pm) and then head to the Rec to face Premiership runners-up Bath on Friday, September 13 (kick-off 7.15pm).
The Dragons get their United Rugby Championship campaign under way with a derby against the Ospreys in Newport on Saturday, September 21 (kick-off 3pm).
The first block of fixtures will be key to improving on last season, when they only finished above Zebre.
The Dragons head to Leinster in round two then have three home fixtures against the Sharks, Lions and Benetton before Connacht away.
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