Josh Lewis is excited at the prospect of the new United Rugby Championship (URC) and is relishing a new challenge against the four new South African sides.
The 2021/2022 campaign will see a new-look league and format with the introduction of new South African sides as 16 teams across two hemispheres compete to be crowned URC champions.
Cell C Sharks, Emirates Lions, DHL Stormers and the Vodacom Bulls will the league and Lewis admits it is a tough but exciting prospect with the physical challenge they will bring.
And 28-year-old fly half turned full back is hoping he can have an injury free season and keep pushing for a starting jersey.
“I’m looking forward to the season starting,” said the Merthyr-born back. “Obviously I had a little niggle end of last season, but I had that sorted with a little clear out in the off-season.
“It’s going to be a challenging old with these four new South African sides coming in, but we’re looking forward to it, it’s going to be good.
“South Africa, as a national side, are world champions so we know their four teams will be tough opposition - it’s going to be a difficult challenge, but we are all excited for it.
“My expectations are to stay fit and get through the season injury free, while also trying to get and keep the jersey, whether that is at 10 or 15.
“I enjoyed playing fifteen and 10 last year so it’s going to be interesting to see what position I’ll be playing. Wherever I’m playing I’m looking forward to it and push for the starting jersey.”
The squad has reconvened for pre-season with a number of senior Dragons Academy boys making the step-up to join training, with a number of players still away after international duty.
Lewis acknowledges it has been a tough start to pre-season with plenty of hard work and has praised the competition now within the squad.
“It’s been tough and challenging the first two weeks, but we’ve got some Academy boys coming through biting at our heels,” said the former Scarlets and Bath man. “Competition has picked up well, so it’s been good, and there has been plenty of running!
“We’ve had a good off-season and we’ve got a four-week block of pre-season now before the first pre-season game looms, so they are trying to ramp up all the running and intensity ready for the games to start.
“We’re all just excited to get going now. There is plenty of healthy competition within the squad, so we are in a good place heading into the new season.”
