In this second addition of Paul Turner’s supporters interview, Paul answers your questions on player recruitment and development.
Q) In hindsight Tom Willis has been a very canny buy - he has had a huge impact on the team. He has really brought the team together and toughened up their mental attitude. It's also great to see his enthusiasm off the pitch as well - even when he was injured he was helping bring the water on and chatting to the fans. How did you come to the decision to bring him to the Dragons?
Zoe Stollery
PT: “I have worked with overseas players before and know that if you bring in the right foreign player then they will have a great affect on the local players. After talking to Tom and then travelling to New Zealand to meet him I just had this gut feeling that first of all he was a good guy, a typical straight-talking kiwi, and I thought he would have a good impact on the squad.
“Wales as a nation did not come to terms with professional rugby as quickly as most people would have liked but guys like Tom Willis help. You only have to look at the other regions to see how overseas players have helped develop younger Welsh players. It was at quite a key time when he got injured last year. But he showed his true mettle and although it must have been frustrating for him he turned it into a positive. It is no coincidence that you saw Steve Jones play his best rugby and also Lloyd Burns made the step from club to region very quickly.”
Q: Given that we have James Harris and Rhys Jenkins to cover for Gavin Thomas at openside - why did we recruit R Sowden Taylor? Peter Roberts
PT: “Peter, James Harris was released at the end of last season and Robin (Sowden-Taylor) is a current Welsh International!”
Q: Although the Newport Gwent Dragons are well equipped in the back row department of the squad with the existing players of Joe Bearman and the recent signing of Sowden-Taylor, are there any plans to sign either a full-back or a fly-half? David Hendy
Will Tovey be given more starts next season, as he deserves to play for Wales? In my opinion he is much better than Dan Biggar so it would be great to see him have more opportunity to show this. Sophie Wai
PT: “We feel we have two quality outside halves in the squad in Jason Tovey and Matthew Jones. But with Martyn Thomas out injured we are always on the lookout for another 15, although we have been very pleased with Matt Evans since he has joined.
“Jason Tovey had a great season last year, for the first half at 15 and the second in the 10 slot. He needs to build on this next season and then Welsh honours will surely come his way.”
Q: Is there any truth in the rumours that the Dragons are in talks with Gavin Henson to bring him to Rodney Parade?
All the best
Gethyn Howard
PT: “Not that I know of! We couldn’t afford him!”
Q: The inside-centre was another position where we lacked depth last year especially when Ashley Smith was injured. What have you done to tackle that area of concern? Anon
PT: “We are still looking at 12, Ashley Smith is probably out until early October and has proved what a quality operator he is, but as with everything it involves finance. We have a lot of youngsters around who play in that position and it may be that we will have to go with the youngsters but it is certainly something that we are conscious of and are looking at.
Q: A number of young local players have come up through the system and made an impact like Tovey and Lydiate. What young players are you expecting to see a similar impact from this year? Anon
PT: “We have a lot of good young players at the Dragons, so young that they make us as coaching staff feel very old! Which we probably are!!! The players in the front row that I mentioned in the first part of this interview, it will be interesting to see how they develop in what is a notorious position. Players like Lloyd Burns we are expecting big things from in the next two to three years. There is also a good battle at number eight with Hugo Ellis and Lewis Evans, both former Welsh age-group players but capable of playing for their country at senior level. At scrumhalf there are a lot of good young players challenging Wayne Evans; Jonathan Evans and James Leadbeater. At 10 you have Lewis Robling a young local boy who will be playing his rugby at Newport RFC and Steffan Jones who will be at Cross Keys. Nicky Griffiths is another nine who has plied is trade in National Division One in England which I’ve always felt is a good competition for developing your game and we’re expecting some good things off him. In the outside backs; Adam Hughes and Pat Leach, young back rowers James Thomas, Rhys Jenkins, and Matthew Pewtner need to back up their early promise, Royce Cadman a young lock who we feel has potential and Craig Attwell a young hooker who will be out playing with the Pontypool club.”
