THE NEWPORT Gwent Dragons coaching team insist they are not being given headaches by the prospect of their squad being stretched by World Cup call-ups.

A quintet of Dragons – back row forwards Dan Lydiate and Toby Faletau, hooker Lloyd Burns, lock Luke Charteris and wing Aled Brew – are currently with Wales in Poland on a training camp.

If on August 22 Warren Gatland names them in his 30-man squad for the tournament in New Zealand then it will leave the Rodney Parade region without their big guns for the start of the season.

The Dragons have traditionally thrived in the Celtic League in international periods but are not daunted by the prospect of being weakened.

“We want as many in the Welsh squad as possible,” said defence coach Rob Appleyard.

“It raises the profile of the region and it means that we will attract players, supporters and sponsors.

“We are going to miss them if they are called up but it gives us the chance to blood some new talent.

“If they can come up with the goods then it will be great for the players to come back from the World Cup and see that their spot isn’t quite as safe as they thought it was.

“Sometimes your hand has to be forced. Andrew Coombs is a back row by trade but he showed up very strongly last year in the second row (when moved forward because of injuries). He showed that you don’t have to be an out and out lock, as did Ryan Jones with the Ospreys and Rob McCusker with the Scarlets.

“It’s something that we’d like to try again and similarly Jevon Groves (Wales Sevens and back row forward with Cross Keys) might get an opportunity to move up to the engine room.”

Appleyard spent the summer as assistant coach with Wales Under-20s in the Junior World Championship and was academy skills coach for the Welsh Rugby Union.

And he is keen to see more young players coming through at Rodney Parade.

“We’ve got some really young boys coming through,” said Appleyard. “Lewis Robling and Jonathan Evans went to the Junior World Championship and are training very well so hopefully we will see them on the bigger stage.

“I don’t know if they will quite make it this year but Jack Dixon and Hallam Amos were with Wales Under-16s last year and have showed real promise.”