Boss Dean Ryan believes the key re-signings of three Wales internationals this week is a ‘huge endorsement’ of the work going on at Dragons.
Hooker Elliot Dee, tighthead prop Leon Brown and back row Aaron Wainwright – all part of the Wales squad for the Guinness Six Nations squad – have all this week put pen to paper on new long-term deals.
The news has been welcomed by Director of Dragons Rugby Ryan who admits keeping the top trio is a big statement from the region about future plans.
“It’s great news because our way forward and our biggest challenge is to retain our best players,” he said.
“It’s a huge endorsement for them and their investment in this region. For them to believe that this is still the right place for them to play international rugby and keep improving.
“They are three players that, without a doubt, attracted a huge interest from everybody else.
“For them to choose here I think is great news and I’m looking forward to keep working with them.
“They are still young men and still have lots to learn and we are keen that, when the season settles down and we are looking to next year, we can get more game time from them and they can keep improving.
“Leon is a great example. There have been a couple of key moments recently for him - he got thrown into a scrum on his own five-metre line against Scotland and then England - that he has shown he has really come on in the last two or three months.
‘It’s great to see him at international level and we would love to see that impact back here in the region. It’s a great credit to him and everybody that’s supported him.”
It’s a huge endorsement for them and their investment in this region... For them to believe that this is still the right place for them to play internationally rugby and keep improving...
