Dean Ryan admits his team selection over the coming weeks will be a balancing act – but he is set to give a number of ‘wildcards’ the chance to stake their claim.
Dragons head to Swansea on Sunday afternoon to face the Ospreys (kick-off 2.15pm) as the Guinness PRO14 resumes after a five-month suspension.
Director of Dragons Rugby Ryan concedes it is unusual times with no warm-up games possible before going straight into league action.
He has already stated it will not be possible to give every player opportunities with selection for the big European quarter-final also on the horizon.
However, Ryan is set to give a number of what he has dubbed ‘wildcards’ the chance to push their way into his plans ahead of the clash in Bristol next month.
“We wouldn’t normally go into a competitive game without a pre-season game. We’ve been trying to replicate intensity in training, but the reality is there is no replicating competition,” he said.
“It will be interesting this week and I don’t think anyone has the blueprint. “We have a couple of guys who are long-term (injuries) who are being integrated back and I’m also very conscious that this is a huge season and that doesn’t start to October.
“We have got to be careful. As a squad, we have always had a balance of experience and youth and we have got to be careful that we manage it.
“Looking at some of the potential fixtures lists I have seen; it is a pretty congested period both internationally and domestically up until January. Getting our resources right is a key target.
“We have people in deck that we might choose not to run in the next couple of weeks because our focus is about getting them right for the next five or six months.
“It’s about the balance,” he added. “You hate starting seasons without creating enough opportunities. We haven’t got a Celtic Cup this year so there is already a challenge about how those fringe players play.
“We have also got to get some combination stuff right over two weeks.
“We’d certainly like to think that we can create opportunities for people who are realistic contenders for Bristol. But we won’t be in a position where we can create opportunities for everybody.
“Selection over the next couple of weeks is very much about that stepping-stone to Bristol with four or five wildcards that might really step up and say they could be in the mix.”
Dragons face Ospreys first up at the Liberty Stadium – a game with added spice as Toby Booth takes charge of the opposition for the first time.
And Ryan is eager to see how his troops perform after over five months without league action.
“This week is new ground for us. It is a competitive game without real periods of preparation,” he said.
“Fingers crossed and we hope we have got the pre-season element of it right and we have got to get playing and people have got to get robust again.
“Nobody in their career would have experienced the last six months so we have got to get everyone flying ready for the new season.”
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Selection over the next couple of weeks is very much about that stepping-stone to Bristol with four or five wildcards that might really step up and say they could be in the mix...
