Ceri Jones has revealed the disappointment in the Dragons squad after Cory Hill was forced to leave the Rugby World Cup - and vowed the region will rally around the second row.
Hill is set to head home from Japan after failing to recover from a stress fracture of his leg.
The 27-year-old – currently in Tokyo - was given the target of Sunday's Pool D clash with Australia for his comeback.
However, Hill has now been ruled out by the Welsh medical team and will instead return to Wales to link-up with Dragons to continue his recovery.
"We are just disappointed for him, we wished Cory all the best going over there as we did with all the boys," said forwards coach Jones, ahead of this weekend's Guinness PRO14 opener with Munster Rugby.
"I am sure he will be deeply disappointed so it's a matter of getting him back over here, getting him back with us and rehabbing him as best we can along with the Welsh Rugby Union.
"They are a really tight group of boys, they look after each other and spent an awful lot of time with each other, not only here at Ystrad Mynach.
"They spend time in each other's company and I am sure Cory will want to get back with his mates.
“He is a massively important part of that Wales squad, otherwise they wouldn't have taken him, and that shows how far he has come," added Jones.
"It's a matter of getting him back over here, getting him back with us and rehabbing him as best we can...
