DRAGONS speedster Rio Dyer hopes to reap the rewards of a ‘character-building’ season featuring far too few victory songs with club or country.

The 24-year-old winger made 30 appearances in a mammoth campaign in 2023/24 that started with the World Cup warm-ups and ended on tour in Australia.

Dyer played 14 games for the Dragons and won just three.

He featured 16 times for Wales but only enjoyed success in five Tests plus the uncapped encounters with the Barbarians and Queensland Reds.

“It was probably a big season in my career for character-building and seeing all aspects of rugby, trying to develop myself through ups and downs, the mental side of it,” said Dyer.

“It was a 13-month season with the World Cup, then we had the Six Nations and the summer tour, and obviously my time with Dragons.

RAPID: Dragons wing Rio Dyer is aiming to down the Ospreys againRAPID: Dragons wing Rio Dyer is aiming to down the Ospreys again (Image: Huw Evans Agency)

“There have been positives and negatives, but I think that kind of season for me was a big character-building exercise.

“I can look back at it and see what I went through, and then try and progress myself to become the best player I can be.”

Dyer signed a new contract with the Dragons at the start of the year and it wasn’t just to extend his international career.

The speedster from Rogerstone is hopeful of brighter times at Rodney Parade… and more ball.

“There are so many talented players here and we just want to express that,” he said.

“We are good rugby players and in games where we've won the fans have seen that, and they probably want to see more of that.

“We’re hoping to give back to them. We want people who come to watch see us trying to express ourselves and play some good rugby.”

Dyer does have happy memories of home clashes against the Ospreys having been on the winning side three times.

He had a breakthrough game in 2020 when he scored in the corner and two years ago the winger raced over for an eye-catching double.