Young centre Harri Ackerman has already shown the ‘effort and a desire’ needed to keep improving and grasp his senior opportunity, according to Backs Coach Matt O’Brien.
Dragons Academy product Ackerman was recently handed his first start against Scarlets and the young star shone brightly as the Men of Gwent earned derby spoils on home soil.
The 19-year-old has been backed by the coaching team and will now feature in the EPCR Challenge Cup encounter with Zebre Parma today Saturday) in Italy.
O’Brien knows Ackerman better than most having worked with him in the Academy and also lined up alongside him for Newport in the Premiership in recent seasons.
And he believes the grounded young centre has both the skills and attitude to continue his development.
“I’ve played alongside Harri a few times this season and he was outstanding on his first start,” said O’Brien. “He was up against some real quality centres on the opposition, and he did very well.
“He's physically gifted and, in a position of strength for us, he certainly took his chance when he was in there.
“Harri can do a bit of everything,” he added. “His close contact skills are good, in terms of his ability to beat people with footwork and offload and get out of some situations where you probably don't expect him to.
“He's also very powerful and he offers something different to perhaps Aneurin or someone else in that midfield. He's extremely hardworking and his attitude is spot on.
“He gives you a bit of bang as well for a youngster, both in defence and attack. He can carry and we can certainly collide in defence.
“He's got a bright future ahead of him. We don't over hype him too early, he has still got a lot of work to do, but he seems to be going in the right direction.
“All the players wear GPS, and he ran the most high-speed metres of any of centres this season. A lot of that was coming off the line, kick chase. The sort of stuff which perhaps, unless you're watching the game on a wider lens, you wouldn't see.
“That's all about effort and a desire which is something that for a youngster to have so early is brilliant.”
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He gives you a bit of bang as well for a youngster, both in defence and attack... He can carry and we can certainly collide in defence...
