THE Dragons bolstered their back row this summer yet it’s a homegrown stalwart that will be charged with ‘causing damage’ as an all-action openside against the Ospreys on Saturday.
The Rodney Parade club get the United Rugby Championship under way with a derby against the Welsh Shield holders in Newport (kick-off 3pm).
With Wales internationals Aaron Wainwright and Taine Basham injured along with Tongan summer signing Solomone Funaki, Harri Keddie will be leading the charge from the back row.
The Ospreys boast serious talent in Jac Morgan, Justin Tipuric, Morgan Morris and Harri Deaves but the Dragons aren’t too shabby in that department.
Combative Shane Lewis-Hughes has arrived from Cardiff and Wales Under-20s captain Ryan Woodman is a Test player in waiting.
Then there is the relentless Keddie, who is set to start at openside in his ninth full season with the Dragons.
“Some of the people who coach against him say that he is one of the best players who has never played international rugby,” said Flanagan about the 28-year-old.
“He can play multiple positions but he is a modern-day seven. The Bath coaches were raving about our seven after the friendly last week – he’s pretty good and that’s why I got him off at half-time!
“Harri only had two 40 minutes in pre-season because we saw exactly what we needed to see.
“He can adapt with the ability to play off the base of the scrum, play as a fetching seven or be a ball-carrying six.”
Keddie will make his 120th appearance for the Dragons and will be a key figure for new captain Ben Carter to lean on.
The plan, once the back row resources are replenished, is to manage his workload throughout the campaign given the punishment that the back rower puts his body through.
“He’s a natural leader and leads by example,” said Flanagan. “What’s been really good for me is watching him and Shane Lewis-Hughes going after each other every day in training.
“They have been in opposite teams, doing contact against each other, conditioning against each other, wanting to beat each other and then finally unleashing them together and seeing the damage they can cause. We will see that this weekend.”
The pair are likely to be joined in the back row by blindside Woodman with George Nott and George Young the contenders for the bench.
The Dragons name their team at midday on Friday.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here